Child Health
Reportedly, Bush intends to veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which the Senate Finance Committee drafted over the last six months.
This puts Bush at odds with the Democratic majority in Congress, but also a substantial number of congressional Republican and many governors of both parties, who want to expand the popular program to cover some of the nation’s nine million uninsured children.
The little secret is that Children’s Health Insurance Program is set to expire Sept. 30. The Finance Committee is expected to approve the Senate plan next week, sending it to the full Senate for action later this month. Democratic Senator Baucus, who is chairman of the Finance Committee insists that he will move ahead despite the veto threat.
Senator Baucus said: “The Senate will not be deterred from helping more kids in need. The president should stop playing politics and start working with Congress to help kids, through renewal of this program.”
The proposal would increase current levels of spending by $35 billion over the next five years, bringing the total to $60 billion. The Congressional Budget Office says the plan would reduce the number of uninsured children by 4.1 million.
Bush’s latest budget proposal is for an increase of $5 billion over the next five years, which would bring the total to $30 billion. The Senate plan does not include any of Bush’s proposals to change the tax treatment of health insurance, in an effort to make it more affordable for millions of Americans.
Senator Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, said he would like to consider such tax proposals, but it’s not realistic given the lack of bipartisan support for the president’s plan to think that can be accomplished before the current children’s health care program runs out in September.
This puts Bush at odds with the Democratic majority in Congress, but also a substantial number of congressional Republican and many governors of both parties, who want to expand the popular program to cover some of the nation’s nine million uninsured children.
The little secret is that Children’s Health Insurance Program is set to expire Sept. 30. The Finance Committee is expected to approve the Senate plan next week, sending it to the full Senate for action later this month. Democratic Senator Baucus, who is chairman of the Finance Committee insists that he will move ahead despite the veto threat.
Senator Baucus said: “The Senate will not be deterred from helping more kids in need. The president should stop playing politics and start working with Congress to help kids, through renewal of this program.”
The proposal would increase current levels of spending by $35 billion over the next five years, bringing the total to $60 billion. The Congressional Budget Office says the plan would reduce the number of uninsured children by 4.1 million.
Bush’s latest budget proposal is for an increase of $5 billion over the next five years, which would bring the total to $30 billion. The Senate plan does not include any of Bush’s proposals to change the tax treatment of health insurance, in an effort to make it more affordable for millions of Americans.
Senator Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, said he would like to consider such tax proposals, but it’s not realistic given the lack of bipartisan support for the president’s plan to think that can be accomplished before the current children’s health care program runs out in September.
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