Gov. James Douglas went to Washington, D.C. Tuesday to press lawmakers and federal government officials to reauthorize of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides vital health care to the children of families living at or near the poverty level.
Douglas, a Republican, has been critical of President Bush for imposing new rules for SCHIP that would lead to more Vermont kids being dropped from the program. But, Douglas also has a long-standing friendly relationship with the Republican president and some hope that that history will provide some leverage.
Still, according to a press release from Douglas this week, Bush was not on the list of people he met with. Instead, he spent some time with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of Human Services Mike Leavitt.
Here's what Douglas had to say as he left for the trip:
“We’re at a critical juncture for health care policy across the country and I felt it was necessary to travel to
and convey that message from the states. Washington
and other states are taking the lead in adopting far-reaching, innovative reforms to cover the uninsured and reduce the growth in health care costs. It’s time for policymakers in Vermont
to work with the states to reauthorize the SCHIP and to encourage forward progress in areas like electronic health information.” Washington
I imagine that Douglas will have more to say on this trip at his press conference here in Montpelier tomorrow.
-Dan Barlow
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