Friday, 26 October 2007
House Passes New SCHIP Bill
Yesterday, Democrats in the House of Representatives passed a revised version of the bill expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The vote in the House was 265 to 142, still short of the needed two-thirds approval to override a presidential veto.
The White House has indicated they would be willing to increase funding to $20 billion over the next five years, according to the Washington Post. But the new version of the bill, like the old, requires $60 billion to be spent in the next five years.
Republican lawmakers opposed to the bill complained that the bill’s quick vote was not enough time to properly review. Once the bill was drafted by the Democrats, it took less than 24 hours to go to the floor, reported the Washington Times.
House Republicans further complained that it was unfair to vote while many California representatives were at home because of the wildfires. They also said the passing of the bill was politically motivated.
“It shows [the Democrats] are ashamed of the bill they brought to the floor and that they just want to play politics,” said Minority Whip Roy Blunt from Missouri.
But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended the bill, prioritizing health insurance for children.
“To be a great nation, we have to take care of the health of our children. It should almost go without saying, but it doesn’t. There is every compassionate, humanitarian, motherly, fatherly and family reason to be for this legislation,” said Pelosi.
The new bill makes eligibility requirements stricter, by creating rules that ensure illegal immigrants cannot get coverage. It also tightens restrictions to focus on coverage for children in families earning less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
“[The new bill] also makes good economic sense,” Pelosi added.
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