[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26169]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  PRESIDENT BUSH'S VETO THREAT ON CHIP

  (Mr. WELCH of Vermont asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Speaker, last week, Congress passed 
legislation, of course, to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance 
Program. It's a bipartisan bill, provides health coverage to 10 million 
low-income Americans. It's fully paid for, no change in eligibility 
requirements. And the President says he's going to veto it because it's 
going to lead to ``socialized medicine.''
  We've had children who have received access to doctors for years. 
Many States have done it on their own. The Federal Government has 
supported it with the children's health care initiative. And what's 
happened? Children have been able to see a doctor. Parents have gone to 
bed at night with the confidence that if their child was sick they'd 
have access to health care.
  It is bipartisan. Republican Senator Susan Collins said, ``I can't 
believe the President would veto a program that benefits low-income 
children.''
  Charles Grassley: ``The President's understanding of our bill is 
wrong. I urge him to reconsider.''
  Senator Hatch: ``We're talking about kids who basically don't have 
coverage.''
  No justification for this veto, Mr. President. Change your mind.

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