Posted on 10/09/2007 7:27:50 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3
WASHINGTON - Several labor unions and advocacy groups are targeting about three dozen Republican lawmakers in a $1 million lobbying campaign aimed at turning enough votes to override President Bush‘s veto and expand a children‘s health insurance program.
To override Bush‘s veto of a $35 billion expansion in the State Children‘s Health Insurance Program, about 15 Republicans and eight Democratic lawmakers in the House would have to change their previous votes on the issue. Even Democratic leaders say that the prospects for an override are unlikely.
Leading the campaign are groups such as MoveOn.Org and labor unions such as the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
"George Bush and his backers would rather send half a trillion to Iraq than spend a fraction of that here to keep our kids healthy," the ad says.
"I would say that the members who voted against this bill did so on principle. They didn‘t do it for politics," Perino said. "And if Moveon.org and the unions, which seems like a match made in heaven, want to get together and waste another two weeks and lots of money to try to pressure votes ... they are not going to get those votes to override the president‘s veto."
Both chambers of Congress passed a bill that would increase SCHIP‘s ranks by about 6 million more enrollees over the next five years. Of that group, about 4 million will have been uninsured and another 2 million would substitute SCHIP for private insurance, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The program was established a decade ago to primarily serve families whose incomes did not exceed twice the poverty level — or $34,340 for a family of three.
Bush has recommended that the program be restored to its original intent. He recommended a $5 billion spending increase, which the CBO said was not enough to cover those currently in the program, let alone expand its reach to some of the estimated 9 million uninsured children in the U.S.
"That‘s just what we‘re doing with the Republicans," Stark said.
"All of them feel very comfortable with their vote and they feel their vote is very defensible," Deal said.
Union officials said television ads will target about 16 lawmakers. The groups will use other tactics, such as phone calls, for about 20 others. Those targeted with the television ads will be: Reps. Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado; Sam Graves of Missouri; Steve Chabot of Ohio; Tom Feeney of Florida; Tim Johnson of Illinois; Rodney Alexander of Louisiana; John Boozman of Arkansas; Barbara Cubin of Wyoming; Kay Granger of Texas; Thelma Drake of Virginia; Robin Hayes of North Carolina; John "Randy" Kuhl and Thomas Reynolds of New York; and Timothy Walberg and Joe Knollenberg of Michigan.
Officials said none of the Democrats who voted against the bill would be targeted with ads because they suspect the ads are not necessary to get some of them to change their votes.
On the Senate side, a veto-proof majority voted for the $35 billion spending increase. The money for the program‘s expansion would come from a 61 cent increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes.
Former President Clinton also weighed into the debate on Friday. He told the Associated Press that a $35 billion expansion is justified because health insurance costs have dramatically outstripped average wages in the past decade.
"The fact that they‘re not poor is the whole point," he said. "It was established as a program for the working family."
Because of soaring health care costs, he said, "the market doesn‘t serve these people."
"It is worth a modest tax subsidy," Clinton said. In terms of cost, "it‘s 14 weeks of the Iraq war. I really believe the cost is modest and the benefit is great."
Clinton worked with a Republican-controlled Congress to create the SCHIP program in 1997. He made the comments in a telephone interview from Paris, where he is discussing global warming. Congressional Democrats helped arrange the interview.
"I think the president made a mistake to veto, and I hope he‘ll reconsider," Clinton said.
Clinton said he hopes the House will overturn the veto later this month, and he is willing to make calls if it would help.
"I hope I‘ll have a chance to talk to some (House) members or some members of the administration," he said.
Stand your ground people. Theres no reason to foist more increases in an entitlement program on the american taxpayers!
They likely need more than 35 votes.
It is often the case that partisans will vote for a bill but not vote to override their party leader’s veto.
First of four about the expansion of federal gov’t funded health care expansion.
And now, even the PTA is supporting this socialism.....
We have received information from National PTA concerning the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). President Bush has vetoed legislation that would have reauthorized and expanded this children’s health program. National PTA tells us that there is a coordinated effort to influence representatives who voted against the House/Senate compromise bill to vote to override the veto.
The Virginia PTA took a stand in support of providing “the greatest coverage to the greatest number of children ...” in a resolution passed at the 1998 Virginia PTA convention. The state PTA’s Resolutions Committee is also bringing forward a resolution to Convention 2007 next week that would reaffirm our position on funding health care for children.
One of the lead organizations for this push is the Coalition on Human Needs, with which National PTA works regularly. They are seeking people to sign on to letters they will be sending to members of Congress.
To participate, go to that web site and
complete information about yourself. They will then send a letter to your representatives. To access it, click here:
http://www.chn.org/takeaction/index.html
You can also call toll-free 1-800-828-0498 and leave a message for your representative encouraging them to vote to override the veto and provide health insurance coverage for a greater number of our children.
Thank you for your hard work for our children and your advocacy for all children.
Jane Brooks, chairman
Legislation Committee
Virginia PTA
Thanks!
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