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Bush Is Prepared to Veto Bill to Expand Child Insurance
Published: July 15, 2007
WASHINGTON, July 14 - The White House said on Saturday that President
Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health
Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members
of the Senate Finance Committee.
The vow puts Mr. Bush at odds with the Democratic majority in
Congress, with a substantial number of Republican lawmakers and with
many governors of both parties, who want to expand the popular program
to cover some of the nation's eight million uninsured children.
Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said: "The president's senior
advisers will certainly recommend a veto of this proposal. And there
is no question that the president would veto it."
The program, which insured 7.4 million people at some time in the last
year, is set to expire Sept. 30.
The Finance Committee is expected to approve the Senate plan next
week, sending it to the full Senate for action later this month.
Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who is chairman of the
committee, said he would move ahead despite the veto threat.
"The Senate will not be deterred from helping more kids in need," Mr.
Baucus said. "The president should stop playing politics and start
working with Congress to help kids, through renewal of this program."
The proposal would increase current levels of spending by $35 billion
over the next five years, bringing the total to $60 billion. The
Congressional Budget Office says the plan would reduce the number of
uninsured children by 4.1 million.
The new spending would be financed by an increase in the federal
excise tax on tobacco products. The tax on cigarettes would rise to $1
a pack, from the current 39 cents.
Mr. Fratto, the White House spokesman, said, "Tax increases are
neither necessary nor advisable to fund the program appropriately."
Democrats in the House would go much further than the bipartisan
Senate plan. They would add $50 billion to the program over five
years, bringing the total to $75 billion. By contrast, in his latest
budget request, Mr. Bush proposed an increase of $5 billion over five
years, which would bring the total to $30 billion.
Published: July 15, 2007
WASHINGTON, July 14 - The White House said on Saturday that President
Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health
Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members
of the Senate Finance Committee.
The vow puts Mr. Bush at odds with the Democratic majority in
Congress, with a substantial number of Republican lawmakers and with
many governors of both parties, who want to expand the popular program
to cover some of the nation's eight million uninsured children.
Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said: "The president's senior
advisers will certainly recommend a veto of this proposal. And there
is no question that the president would veto it."
The program, which insured 7.4 million people at some time in the last
year, is set to expire Sept. 30.
The Finance Committee is expected to approve the Senate plan next
week, sending it to the full Senate for action later this month.
Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who is chairman of the
committee, said he would move ahead despite the veto threat.
"The Senate will not be deterred from helping more kids in need," Mr.
Baucus said. "The president should stop playing politics and start
working with Congress to help kids, through renewal of this program."
The proposal would increase current levels of spending by $35 billion
over the next five years, bringing the total to $60 billion. The
Congressional Budget Office says the plan would reduce the number of
uninsured children by 4.1 million.
The new spending would be financed by an increase in the federal
excise tax on tobacco products. The tax on cigarettes would rise to $1
a pack, from the current 39 cents.
Mr. Fratto, the White House spokesman, said, "Tax increases are
neither necessary nor advisable to fund the program appropriately."
Democrats in the House would go much further than the bipartisan
Senate plan. They would add $50 billion to the program over five
years, bringing the total to $75 billion. By contrast, in his latest
budget request, Mr. Bush proposed an increase of $5 billion over five
years, which would bring the total to $30 billion.
