SCHIP proponents fail to override veto

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

On the national scene, there was plenty of contention in October over the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP.

Congress passed a compromise plan in late September to extend and expand the program, which now covers 6.6 million children in the country. The legislation would have expanded that coverage to about 10 million children, adding $35 billion to the program over five years.

The bill was vetoed by President George Bush, who argued that it covered some higher-income families and that it was a step toward a federally funded health-care system.

While supporters worked hard to rally enough votes for a veto override, that effort failed on Oct. 18 by 13 votes. The same day, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., introduced her own bill to extend SCHIP, limiting coverage to families earning twice the federal poverty level, or $41,300 per year, and providing a tax credit for families between 200 and 300 percent of the FPL.

Next, House Democrats worked out a hurried revision of the SCHIP expansion, hoping to attract Republican support. The revision addressed some prior concerns, spelling out that families earning more than three times the federal poverty level would not qualify and illegal immigrants would not be covered. That measure was approved by the House, 265-142, still short of the votes necessary for a veto override.

Among the Colorado delegation, voting was along party lines on the expanded SCHIP bill and on the veto override attempt. Democrats Sen. Ken Salazar, Rep. Mark Udall, Rep. Diana DeGette, Rep. John Salazar and Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted for the bill both times. Republicans Sen. Wayne Allard, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, Rep. Tom Tancredo and Rep. Doug Lamborn voted against it both times.