House Votes to Expand Insurance for Kids (not enough votes to override veto)

[brooklynite]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Tuesday to expand health insurance for children, but the Democratic-led victory may prove short-lived because the margin was too small to override President Bush's promised veto.

Embarking on a health care debate likely to animate the 2008 elections, the House voted 265-159 to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, by $35 billion over five years. Bush says he will veto the bill due to its cost, its reliance on a tobacco tax increase and its potential for replacing private insurance with government grants.

SCHIP is a state-federal program that provides coverage for 6.6 million children from families that live above the poverty level but have trouble affording private health insurance. The proposed expansion, backed by most governors and many health-advocacy groups, would add 4 million children to the rolls.

The bill drew support from 45 House Republicans, many of them moderates who do not want to be depicted as indifferent to low-income children's health needs when they seek re-election next year. But most Republicans, under pressure from the White House and party leaders, sided with Bush, a move that Democrats see as a political blunder.

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h3-r4-QX2sJIwxAkeLfY3zUOHgQA

[silverweb]

1. YES!!

This is far from over, but a good first step.

[brooklynite]

2. Vote Summary

Yeas Nays PRES NV
Democratic 220 8 1 3
Republican 45 151 5
Independent
TOTALS 265 159 1 8

nb - this is a 61% "YEA" vote - not enough to override a veto

[angstlessk]

4. Who the fuck are the 8 dems who voted no..or the 4 others who were chickens?

I want to fucking know!

[brooklynite]

6. Dem No or non-votes

- No -
Boren
Castor
Etheridge
Hill
Kucinich
Marshall
McIntyre
Taylor

- Present -
Watson

- Not Voting -
Carson
Delahunt
Johnson, E. B.

[angstlessk]

7. Kucinich??? WTF??? I did not watch the debates so I am not aware

of his dissent vote??? But I am SHOCKED!

[laconicsax]

8. He explains on his House web site

http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=75275

“I cannot support legislation which extends health coverage to some children while openly denying it to other children,” Kucinich said. “This legislation is woefully inadequate: and I will not support it.

[MasonJar]

3. If the GOPers beat down this important legislation, while continuing

to fund Iraq at the expense of our own children, then they need to be pummelled in the election. This must be front and center whereever they campaign.

[DuaneBidoux]

5. What a joy to watch all these House Repukes in a self induced death spiral.

Yea, they can say, I voted to reduce taxes on millionaires who already have so much they don't know what to do with it but I didn't feel we could afford to insure children who have no health care.

[Reno.Muse]

9. my Congressman Dean Heller, beloved pal of the Sequoia voting machines,

voted against this. Time to take Congressional folks healthcare away since it means they are on the taxpayers dole and if it good enough for the poor kids to be without healthcare then it's good enough for Heller and pals to get off the dole too.