Child health insurance bill faces veto

[lovuian]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070715/ap_on_he_me/children_s_insurance

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration said Saturday that senior advisers would recommend the president veto Senate legislation that would substantially increase funds for children's health insurance.
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The legislation calls for a 61-cent increase in the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes. The revenue would be used to subsidize health insurance for children and some adults with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford insurance on their own. Members of the Senate Finance Committee brokered a bipartisan agreement Friday that would add $35 billion to the program over the next five years. The Bush administration had instead recommend $5 billion.

The Senate legislation expands the State Children's Health Insurance Program beyond the original intent of the program, said White House Spokesman Tony Fratto.

"It's clear that it will have the effect of encouraging many to drop private coverage — purchased either through their employer or with their own resources — to go on the government-subsidized program," Fratto said. "Tax increases are neither necessary nor advisable to appropriately fund SCHIP."
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How the religious right could think they are Christian is beyond me
Jesus didn't ask Are you insured? Do you have a HMO?

[BlooInBloo]

1. Won't somebody please think of the children?!??!

[Donnachaidh]

6. They will - but there is a catch

You have to take your kids to their churches in order to get help. States and federal are underfunding these programs left and right. Georgia has barely gotten it's peachcare program back up, but it will freeze the program by the end of the year. The money they did give them is too little. I'm stunned at how little this government cares about our kids.

[caligirl]

2. More ammunition against the repug party, expect dems to gain many more seats in '08. SAD though.

[BlooInBloo]

3. My biggest hope: filibuster-proof Senate in '08.

[2Design]

4. they need the money for bullets, bombs, and their health care

they have no money for the rest of us

[KT2000]

5. Funding is the problem

Taxes on cigarettes are the most chicken shit of all taxes. They are taxed into absurdity by the states as it is.
Why can't the children's health care be funded by ALL Americans? That is the right thing to do.