Letting The CHIPs Fall
Well, I'm back from that brief but wonderful vacation, and Ruth should be back later today or tomorrow. We had a marvelous time at the New Mexico State Fair with all of the other DFHs who were able to attend this convocation. I not only didn't blog while gone, I also didn't follow much of the news (unlike Ruth, who as most of you know is an unreformed News Junkie of the First Order), so I didn't get the full scoop on the march in Washington, D.C. and other cities in the US, nor did I check on the latest debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan. I didn't even know that O.J. Simpson was arrested until just a few minutes ago. I'll probably spend the rest of the day catching up (except on the Simpson story).
I did do a brief scan of today's NY Times and found out that the Children's Health Insurance Program bill is just about through the conference committee to reconcile the House and Senate versions and will soon be submitted to the President (who apparently still intends to veto it).
Senate and House negotiators said Sunday that they had agreed on a framework for a compromise bill that would provide health insurance to four million uninsured children while relaxing some of the limits on eligibility imposed by the Bush administration.
The compromise, which resembles a bill passed by the Senate with bipartisan support, sets the stage for a battle with President Bush, who has denounced similar legislation as a step “down the path to government-run health care for every American.”
Republicans will come under political pressure to support the compromise. But if the president vetoes it, he will probably have enough votes in the House to sustain his veto, Republicans say. ...
At issue is the future of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Supporters of the Senate bill, passed last month by a vote of 68 to 31, had enough votes to overcome a presidential veto. Only five Republicans voted for the House bill when it was approved, 225 to 204.
The compromise is likely to pick up some Republican votes in the House but probably not enough to override a presidential veto, Republicans said. A two-thirds majority is needed to override a veto — 290 votes if all 435 representatives are voting.
At this point, we're 65 votes short of the necessary veto-proof majority in the House, all Republicans. Will there be enough Republicans with the heart and spine to defy this president? It's hard to tell at this point, even though Republican governors are strongly urging the passage of the bill.
The compromise would allow states to cover nearly half of the children who are uninsured. About 6.6 million youngsters are now covered under the program.
The Congressional action comes in response to urgent appeals from governors of both parties. In a letter to Congress last week, Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association, said, “For health and moral reasons, Congress must pass and the president must sign a reauthorization of the program by Sept. 30.”
Without prompt action by Congress, they said, “it will be virtually impossible for states to continue coverage for children already enrolled.” The Congressional Research Service said that 12 states would have no federal money available on Oct. 1, while an additional 23 states would exhaust their allocations in the coming year without a fresh infusion of money.
Somebody needs to make it clear to 65 Republican members of the House who haven't gotten on board with this bill that they need to do so, and today. If you're burdened with such a recalcitrant rep, give the local office a call or a fax. Make it clear that you intend to hold the vote against them come election time, and not just the next election time. Explain that voters have long memories, especially when it comes to their children and their neighbors' children. Be relentless because this is that important.
And then follow-up with another phone call or fax after your rep's vote is recorded.
Oh, and it's nice to be home.
I did do a brief scan of today's NY Times and found out that the Children's Health Insurance Program bill is just about through the conference committee to reconcile the House and Senate versions and will soon be submitted to the President (who apparently still intends to veto it).
Senate and House negotiators said Sunday that they had agreed on a framework for a compromise bill that would provide health insurance to four million uninsured children while relaxing some of the limits on eligibility imposed by the Bush administration.
The compromise, which resembles a bill passed by the Senate with bipartisan support, sets the stage for a battle with President Bush, who has denounced similar legislation as a step “down the path to government-run health care for every American.”
Republicans will come under political pressure to support the compromise. But if the president vetoes it, he will probably have enough votes in the House to sustain his veto, Republicans say. ...
At issue is the future of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Supporters of the Senate bill, passed last month by a vote of 68 to 31, had enough votes to overcome a presidential veto. Only five Republicans voted for the House bill when it was approved, 225 to 204.
The compromise is likely to pick up some Republican votes in the House but probably not enough to override a presidential veto, Republicans said. A two-thirds majority is needed to override a veto — 290 votes if all 435 representatives are voting.
At this point, we're 65 votes short of the necessary veto-proof majority in the House, all Republicans. Will there be enough Republicans with the heart and spine to defy this president? It's hard to tell at this point, even though Republican governors are strongly urging the passage of the bill.
The compromise would allow states to cover nearly half of the children who are uninsured. About 6.6 million youngsters are now covered under the program.
The Congressional action comes in response to urgent appeals from governors of both parties. In a letter to Congress last week, Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association, said, “For health and moral reasons, Congress must pass and the president must sign a reauthorization of the program by Sept. 30.”
Without prompt action by Congress, they said, “it will be virtually impossible for states to continue coverage for children already enrolled.” The Congressional Research Service said that 12 states would have no federal money available on Oct. 1, while an additional 23 states would exhaust their allocations in the coming year without a fresh infusion of money.
Somebody needs to make it clear to 65 Republican members of the House who haven't gotten on board with this bill that they need to do so, and today. If you're burdened with such a recalcitrant rep, give the local office a call or a fax. Make it clear that you intend to hold the vote against them come election time, and not just the next election time. Explain that voters have long memories, especially when it comes to their children and their neighbors' children. Be relentless because this is that important.
And then follow-up with another phone call or fax after your rep's vote is recorded.
Oh, and it's nice to be home.
Labels: Health Care
posted by Diane at 10:12 AM
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