According to the Associated Press, President Bush will veto any expansion of the state children's health insurance program above the $5 billion more than he already agreed to. If he vetoes the bill, an estimated 2,000 kids in Vermont will lose their health insurance.
Here's what the president said today:
"Unfortunately, instead of working with the administration to enact this funding increase for children's health, Democrats in Congress have decided to pass a bill they know will be vetoed. One of their leaders has even said such a veto would be, quote, 'a political victory.'"
Vermont's congressional delegation wasted no time Thursday in blasting Bush for his veto threat. Sen. Patrick Leahy said it is bizarre that Bush threatens to veto a children's health insurance program while asking for $100 billion in more spending for the Iraq war. Sen. Bernard Sanders pointed out that the veto would affect 4 million kids across the country and vowed a strong fight to save the program. Rep. Peter Welch called the president morally misguided and out of touch.
Here's what Leahy had to say:
"This veto threat flies in the face of Congress’s bipartisan work to pass a carefully crafted plan to cover more uninsured children. It is sad that basic health care for children is even an issue in the richest nation on earth. I hope the President will reconsider before it’s too late for those who his veto would hurt the most."
Clearly, sCHIP also has bipartisan support and Vermont's Republican governor, James Douglas, has already broken with Bush on this issue. Democrats in Congress better hope the bipartisan, veto-proof majority they allegedly have lined up actually exists.
-Dan Barlow
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