Thread: Bush vetos SCHIP

Bush vetoes child health insurance plan
President, congress battle over $30 billion coverage increase

WASHINGTON - President Bush, in a confrontation with Congress, on Wednesday vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have dramatically expanded children's health insurance.

It was only the fourth veto of Bush's presidency, and one that some Republicans feared could carry steep risks for their party in next year's elections. The Senate approved the bill with enough votes to override the veto, but the margin in the House fell short of the required number.

The White House sought as little attention as possible, with the president wielding his veto behind closed doors without any fanfare or news coverage.

Socialized medicine?
The State Children's Health Insurance Program is a joint state-federal effort that subsidizes health coverage for 6.6 million people, mostly children, from families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford their own private coverage.

The Democrats who control Congress, with significant support from Republicans, passed the legislation to add $35 billion over five years to allow an additional 4 million children into the program. It would be funded by raising the federal cigarette tax by 61 cents to $1 per pack.

The president had promised to veto it, saying the Democratic bill was too costly, took the program too far from its original intent of helping the poor, and would entice people now covered in the private sector to switch to government coverage. He wants only a $5 billion increase in funding.

Bush argued that the congressional plan would be a move toward socialized medicine by expanding the program to higher-income families.

Democrats deny that, saying their goal is to cover more of the millions of uninsured children and noting that the bill provides financial incentives for states to cover their lowest-income children first. Of the over 43 million people nationwide who lack health insurance, 9 percent, or over 6 million, are under 18 years old.

Veto override considerations
Eighteen Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate, enough to override Bush's veto. But this was not the case in the House, where despite sizable Republican support, supporters of the bill are about two dozen votes short of a successful override.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Democrats were imploring 15 House Republicans to switch positions but had received no agreements so far.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said he was "absolutely confident" that the House would be able to sustain Bush's expected veto.

Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Congress should be able to reach a compromise with Bush once he vetoes the bill. "We should not allow it to be expanded to higher and higher income levels, and to adults. This is about poor children," he said. "But we can work it out."

It took Bush six years to veto his first bill, when he blocked expanded federal research using embryonic stem cells last summer. In May, he vetoed a spending bill that would have required troop withdrawals from Iraq. In June, he vetoed another bill to ease restraints on federally funded stem cell research.

In the case of the health insurance program, the veto is a bit of a high-stakes gambit for Bush, pitting him against both the Democrats who have controlled both houses of Congress since January, but also many members of his own party and the public.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched radio ads Monday attacking eight GOP House members who voted against the bill and face potentially tough re-election campaigns next year.

And Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, said a coalition of liberal groups planned more than 200 events throughout the nation to highlight the issue.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21111931/

I'm shocked he actually vetoed something.

Good riddance to the Socialist Pork!!!!!!!!

People, you need to make sure your Legislators do not overide this veto. This program contained services for illegal aliens.

This program is just more government controll of your money. Take your money away with taxes and dole it back out they way they want to and tell you how you are going to run your life.

Tax me less, so I can afford insurance. Take away the Earned Income Tax Credits(EIC) from the people below poverty level with quialified children and put that towards insuring those kids, instead of letting them run out and buy big screen TVs with the money. Many but not all will spend that money frivously and not on necessities or thier children.

Dixie

Originally Posted by zeezil

Bush vetoes child health insurance plan
President, congress battle over $30 billion coverage increase

WASHINGTON - President Bush, in a confrontation with Congress, on Wednesday vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have dramatically expanded children's health insurance.

It was only the fourth veto of Bush's presidency, and one that some Republicans feared could carry steep risks for their party in next year's elections. The Senate approved the bill with enough votes to override the veto, but the margin in the House fell short of the required number.

The White House sought as little attention as possible, with the president wielding his veto behind closed doors without any fanfare or news coverage.

Socialized medicine?
The State Children's Health Insurance Program is a joint state-federal effort that subsidizes health coverage for 6.6 million people, mostly children, from families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford their own private coverage.


It is hard for me to believe it is this extensive.

From my experience with my family, they spend too loosely on items that is less important and that is why many of them do not have medical and do not think it is important enough above other things.

The Democrats who control Congress, with significant support from Republicans, passed the legislation to add $35 billion over five years to allow an additional 4 million children into the program. It would be funded by raising the federal cigarette tax by 61 cents to $1 per pack.

The president had promised to veto it, saying the Democratic bill was too costly, took the program too far from its original intent of helping the poor, and would entice people now covered in the private sector to switch to government coverage. He wants only a $5 billion increase in funding.

Bush argued that the congressional plan would be a move toward socialized medicine by expanding the program to higher-income families.

Democrats deny that, saying their goal is to cover more of the millions of uninsured children and noting that the bill provides financial incentives for states to cover their lowest-income children first. Of the over 43 million people nationwide who lack health insurance, 9 percent, or over 6 million, are under 18 years old.

Veto override considerations
Eighteen Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate, enough to override Bush's veto. But this was not the case in the House, where despite sizable Republican support, supporters of the bill are about two dozen votes short of a successful override.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Democrats were imploring 15 House Republicans to switch positions but had received no agreements so far.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said he was "absolutely confident" that the House would be able to sustain Bush's expected veto.

Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Congress should be able to reach a compromise with Bush once he vetoes the bill. "We should not allow it to be expanded to higher and higher income levels, and to adults. This is about poor children," he said. "But we can work it out."


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21111931/

[b]MEDICAID[ b] and MEDICAL covers fully, dental, eyeglasses and prescription to poor children of the country and to anchor babies. Plus those above the poverty line can buy into MEDICAID and MEDICAL This new bill will only benefit health care providers and children of immigrants. This bill is not needed. The president should and did veto this bill and should veto it again. I believe they will over-ride his veto.
The money to cover this bill will come from cigarette taxes, but cigarette taxes should go to help people with cigarette related disease.

Some of my families are not poor but make themselves poor by loose and unwise spending. There are many reason why people do not have health care, like illegal aliens who drive expensive cars and will not provide medical for their children.
My daughter has a mortgage of $1800. They have medical coverage but cannot afford to use it and I do not feel they should be given health care at a discount.

Lastly, if medical insurance is so unobtainable and medical care is too expensive for the general public, then regulate the heck out of it!

Regulate business, not our lives.

Dixie

This bill was nothing more than a stunt. There is no better issue to use against Bush than insurance for children. The provisions were, on their face, untenable and the whole thing probably worked exactly the way it was designed.

Nice veto.

with you Bush on this one.

Originally Posted by Dixie

Lastly, if medical insurance is so unobtainable and medical care is too expensive for the general public, then regulate the heck out of it!

Regulate business, not our lives.

Dixie

That is the problem. Schipp will only make health care providers richer.

Medicaid and Medical covers poor kids that are on AFDC and some low-imcome kids. Expand Medicaid and Medical to include more low-imcome children.
What is considered low-income?
Some low-income children are already able to buy into Medicaid and Medical.Anchor babies already qualify for State run medical care.
Will this cover children that are illegal?
How is the new health care boing to be paid for?
Are they going to take from the middle income taxpayers that are already struggling to pay for health care?
I believe Bush is right on this one.

Health care providers has to be regulated.
My son has a $1200 deductable each year and he does not use that much medical a year. It is almost the end of the year and he has not met his deductable.
AT&T employee. He has some of the better plans.
That is why children do not have medical coverage.

Great post Zee