[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26168]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 PRESIDENT BUSH'S VETO THREAT ON SCHIP

  (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, during a speech at the 2004 National 
Convention, President Bush made a promise to cover America's uninsured 
children. The President said, ``In a new term we will lead an 
aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible 
but not signed up for the government's health insurance program.''
  Last week, both this House and the Senate passed a bill to 
reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, 
which provides health coverage for children in low-income families who 
would otherwise be uninsured. This bipartisan bill will allow 4 million 
children who are currently eligible for SCHIP, but not yet enrolled, to 
now receive coverage. In fact, it does just what President Bush said he 
would do if America reelected him. But despite this election year 
promise, President Bush is now threatening to veto the bipartisan SCHIP 
reauthorization act.
  Mr. Speaker, if the President vetoes this much-needed legislation, he 
will be breaking his election year campaign promise to enroll millions 
of currently eligible but uninsured children in the SCHIP program. I 
hope the President will reconsider his veto threat and instead hold to 
his promise to strengthen the SCHIP program.

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