House Passes Children's Health Insurance Bill

Bush to veto measure despite GOP support
By Caroline Zimmerman,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 26, 2007 3:33 AM CDT
House Passes Children's Health Insurance Bill
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, of New York, left, listens as Mame McCutchin, 38, of New York City, center, comments on how her daughter, Pascale Mossin, 2, has been uninsured for several weeks because Pascale's father lost his coverage as she, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer,...   (Associated Press)

A bill to boost spending on children's health insurance by $35 billion sailed through the House yesterday 265-159, despite President Bush's repeated threats to veto it. The Senate is likely to approve the bill next week. The bill would increase the current children's health insurance program by $7 billion a year over five years and cover 10 million children.

The proposal has won bipartisan support and the backing of the health insurance industry. The White House has characterized the measure as the Democrats' stepping stone toward universal government-sponsored health care. "Who's against kids' health?" asked on GOP defender of the bill. "I'm baffled as to why the Bush people picked this issue to fight." (More children's health care stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X