Written by: Jim Hansen
Friday, September 21, 2007

At a news conference today, President Bush renewed his threat to veto a measure to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program by $35 billion over five years, to $60 billion annually, with the cost offset by a 61-cent increase in tobacco taxes, to $1 per pack of cigarettes.

Advocates - including state governors of both parties - have refused to abandon their efforts to expand the program to reach more children. A bi-partisan group of members of Congress (the bi-partisanship is mostly on the Senate side) are close to finalizing a bill that will be on the floor of the House next Tuesday, Sept. 25th. The challenge will be to get a veto-proof majority-290 if all 435 members are present and voting.

When the bill funding other health programs (the budget for the Health and Human Resources Department) passed the House in August, Rep. Mike Simpson voted FOR it. Rep. Bill Sali voted against it. Does this mean that Simpson might support SCHIP? Call him and ask him. If not, then his vote for HHS funding was probably only because it contained some of his earmarks. (It contained earmarks Sali put in too, but he still voted against HHS funding). Who's the more consistent - we can discuss that later. Meanwhile, call them both and tell them to put kids first.

These are not rich kids. These are kids whose parents work in low-wage jobs that don't have health insurance. When they don't have access to basic preventative health care, they get sicker and treatment is often postponed until it is much more traumatic and expensive (and sometimes too late). For goodness sake, Simpson and Sali have supported over $450,000,000 billion for the war an occupation in Iraq. Ask them to put kids first this time.

The earliest the Senate can vote on the bill is Tuesday evening. The Senate has not voted on the HHS funding bill yet but Crapo and Craig were among the 31 Senators who voted against the Senate's SCHIP bill in August. The compromise bill is much closer to the more modest Senate version which passed by a veto-prove margin.

A bill could be on the President’s desk for his signature at the earliest Wednesday, most likely and no later than Thursday. The President is expected to veto the bill and Congress will then have to override. Even without Craig and Crapo, they may override it in the Senate (but you should still call them)

So, your first call should be to Simpson in the House. Don't delay in making those calls. Advocates have provided two toll-free numbers to call your member of Congress. 1-866-544-7573 or call 1-800-828-0498. Calls are preferred over e-mails right now because of the short notice. Also, call the local offices in Idaho as well. The staff needs to know we care about insuring kids. Sen. Crapo (208-334-1776) Sen Craig (208-342-7985) Rep. Sali (208-336-9831) Rep. Simpson (208-334-1953).
 

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