Charles Rangel: “I stand in support of overriding the President's veto, not for the reasons given by Chairman Dingell, because it's the…”

“I stand in support of overriding the President's veto, not for the reasons given by Chairman Dingell, because it's the right and moral position, because that has existed all of the time, and yet we've been unsuccessful. But I would say to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton) that since the last time this has come up, the President has admitted that we are going toward a recession and that the economy may be jeopardized unless the Congress supported a stimulus package. It would just seem to me that if it's recognized that our States are going to go into deficit, our Governors are going to have serious problems, and that it is very possible, if not likely, that services for our kids would be further cut under Medicaid. It would seem to me that a legitimate argument could be made that, by providing care for these 11 million children, it allows their parents to know that they'll be able to be more productive knowing that their kids are covered by health insurance. It's sad that the poor now have to be used merely as a vehicle to stimulate our economy. But had we taken care of these people during the robust great economic times, perhaps we would not be going through this struggle. So it appears to me that this is another opportunity that the minority would have, not just to do the moral thing, but to do the economic thing, and to be of some assistance to the Governors who are screaming out for the continuation of this program, indeed, the expansion of it.”