Fight Looms Over Kids' Health Plan

Oct 03, 02:03 PM

Current Headlines: By Peter Urban, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Oct. 3--WASHINGTON -- President Bush is expected to veto legislation today that would have expanded a federal program that helps states provide health insurance to poor children.

Democratic leaders in Congress plan to challenge the veto, but may take their time as they attempt to persuade reluctant Republicans to support the popular program.

To overturn a presidential veto, both chambers of Congress must produce two-thirds majorities. When the bill cleared the House last week it was about 19 votes shy of the two-thirds majority. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said that he needs 15 Republican opponents to switch to succeed.

The bill would expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program by $35 billion over the next five years, to $60 billion. The increase would be funded through a 61-cent hike in the cigarette tax, to $1 per pack. In Connecticut, the program helps pay for the state's HUSKY insurance program.

Hoyer and Rep. Rosa DeLauro,D-3, held a news conference Tuesday with a coalition of labor and progressive groups that plan to launch a grassroots campaign to persuade Republicans to override the veto.

"We face a serious fight -- a fight we must win on behalf of the American people," DeLauro said.

Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the group would "flood the Hill with hundreds of thousands of calls, e-mails and letters."

He said the group would spend as much as $5 million over the next few months on the campaign to confront Bush and congressional Republicans over budget issues, including SCHIP.

They are planning more than 200 events around the nation this week and some television advertising.

"This is our most significant fight since the struggle over Social Security's privatization" in 2005, McEntee said -- a fight, he noted, that Bush lost.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Tuesday that Bush wants the program to take care of the neediest children first.

"That's not what that law does," she said.

Perino also pointed out that the majority of people who smoke are low income so a hike in the cigarette tax would fall heaviest on them.

"They're raising taxes on something to pay for a middle-class entitlement. It's just completely irresponsible. Stop the madness on Capitol Hill," she said.

Peter Urban covers Washington.

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