Joe Lieberman: “I would like to rise to explain my vote on the Hatch-Kennedy amendment. The budget resolution under consideration is a…”

“I would like to rise to explain my vote on the Hatch-Kennedy amendment. The budget resolution under consideration is a fragile compromise. Support from the President, Republicans and Democrats was achieved after months of negotiation. One of the key provisions in this agreement of great importance to me is the additional $16 billion for health care coverage of children. This funding will be used to cover an additional 5 million children. Connecticut alone is estimated to have 85,000 uninsured children 18 years and younger. The new funding will go a long way to bring health care to those kids. The Hatch-Kennedy amendment was a good faith effort to go farther and I agree--we should go farther. Over 10 million American children lack insurance and more each month go uncovered. For these children and their parents health is not just a blessing, it is an economic necessity. The amendment sponsors also said much about tobacco today with which I agree. According to the CDC, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Smoking is up among teenagers and this rise ultimately will translate into many premature deaths from smoking-related diseases. I have no hesitancy to support an increase in tobacco taxes. But the vote I cast today was not on children's health coverage. It was not on a tobacco tax. The vote I cast today was on whether to make substantial changes in critical elements of an arduously negotiated bipartisan budget agreement.”