Robin Carnahan: “yesterday this House made the historic step of reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, so…”

“yesterday this House made the historic step of reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, so we can give 10 million low-income children health care. This plan not only ensures current enrollees do not lose coverage, but it will help cover 3 million additional children in low-income families who are currently eligible for the program but not yet enrolled. Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to veto the bill over and over. He instead supports his own plan which would actually result in thousands of low-income kids losing their health care coverage, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. It is also important to mention that the plan we passed is fully paid for. This is in stark contrast to the over $400 billion that the President has already asked the taxpayers to spend in Iraq. In fact, for the cost of just over 3 months in Iraq, we could insure these 10 million children for 5 years without adding to our Nation's debt. Madam Speaker, it is time for the President to reconsider his ill-advised veto threat and pledge to protect health coverage for America's children in need.”