December 17, 2007 – Bi-partisan outrage continues to grow over President Bush’s decision last week to veto reauthorization and expanding funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) states: “This is indeed a sad action for him to take, because so many children in our country need access to quality health care. That is why we were able to pass with strong bipartisan support, in the House and Senate, with the veto-proof majority in the Senate, legislation that would cover 10 million children in America at the cost of $35 billion. It was all paid for.
“We worked in a bipartisan manner to bring the first bill to the floor and the second bill to the floor. Since that time, Mr. Hoyer has been engaged in negotiations with Republicans in the House trying to meet their concerns. Mr. Rahm Emanuel was present at the birth of SCHIP in the Clinton White House, so he has taken a very major interest in this legislation.
“The health of our children is of the highest priority to the Democrats in the Congress of the United States. This holiday season, when families should be thinking about toys and presents for their children – my grandchildren celebrate Chanukah and Christmas, Rahm – instead, their parents are concerned about their having access to health care. It just isn’t right.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) states: “It is unfortunate, and indeed shameful, that President Bush has once again vetoed fiscally responsible, bipartisan legislation that would provide health insurance coverage to 10 million low-income American children. With this deeply misguided veto, the President stands not only as an impediment between millions of children and the health care they need and deserve, but also has broken his own campaign promise in 2004 to extend such coverage.
On the Senate side, Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) states: “Once again President Bush has slammed the door on our nation's most vulnerable citizens--our children. As we get ready to celebrate the holidays, we should remember how many of them have been left out in the cold by this administration. This should be a season of good will not a season of bad vetoes.”
