S-CHIP Bill Vetoed Behind Closed Doors

THIS WAS NOT THE SCENE TODAY

President Bush this morning quietly vetoed a bill with broad bipartisan support that would have expanded the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Unlike previous vetoes on federally-funded stem cell research and Iraq troop withdrawals, this veto was executed without ceremony or television cameras and behind closed doors.

Rather cowardly for a man who never misses a photo op, wouldn't you say?

As it is, the veto is a liability for many Republicans already facing an uphill fight in the 2008 election.

Eighteen Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate to pass the bill, enough to override the veto. But in the House of Representatives, supporters fell just over 20 votes short a successful override margin.

The compromise bill would expand the popular $5 billion-a-year S-CHIP program by an average of $7 billion a year over the next five years for total funding of $60 billion for the period. That would be enough to boost the program’s enrollment to 10 million, up from 6.6 million, which would reduce the ranks of uninsured children.

The president and opponents of the expansion say that it is an end run toward nationalized health insurance and would cover children whose family’s incomes put them squarely in the middle class although today in America not just poor people need a leg up to get access to health care.

Two days earlier, Bush had issued a proclamation declaring October 1 to be Child Health Day.

Said the president on that occasion:

"Our Nation is committed to the health and well-being of our youth. . . . My Administration supports programs that give parents, mentors, and teachers the resources they need to help and encourage children to maintain an active and healthy way of life."

Except when it doesn’t.

More here.