Posted on 01/27/2008 3:01:33 PM PST by LdSentinal
House Democrats failed again Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of their plan to increase spending for a children's health insurance program.
The final vote, which was 260-152 with 42 Republicans voting for the plan and 151 Republicans voting against it, fell 15 votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
It was the second time in three months that Democrats were unable to override Bush's veto, and Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-8, said Wednesday that he was fed up.
“This fight shows what's wrong with Washington,” Murphy said. “While dozens of Republicans in the House and Senate as well as 43 governors from across America support health care for children, far too many of my Republican colleagues refused to break from George Bush and do what's right.”
Before Wednesday's vote, Democrats tried to tie the slumping economy with the need to expand the program for families that may be hit hardest by a potential recession. There are currently 6,700 Bucks County children enrolled in the health insurance program, and Murphy said that number would likely grow with a grim economic forecast.
In October, a veto override attempt failed to garner a two-thirds majority with a 273-156 final vote and 44 Republicans voting to override the veto.
In a speech on the House floor, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz pointed to a recent Joint Economic Committee report that claimed that 1 million additional children may become eligible for government-subsidized health care due to a rising unemployment rate.
“Now is not the time to turn our backs on these children,” Schwartz said. “It is time for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us to support America's working families when times get tough.”
The plan would funnel an additional $35 billion in federal funding over the next five years into the State Children's Health Insurance Program and increase enrollment from 6 million to 10 million children during that time. The expansion would be funded by a 61-cent increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products, but Bush has said the bill would be a step towards socialized health care. When Bush vetoed the plan for a second time in December, he said the expanded program would encourage families to replace private insurance with a health plan that would be paid for by the government.
The plan to expand the children's health insurance program is popular with Pennsylvania's congressional delegation. Only three of Pennsylvania's 19 House members, Congressmen John Peterson, R-5, Joseph Pitts, R-16, and Bill Shuster, R-9, voted against the veto override. Both Pennsylvania senators, Arlen Specter, a Republican, and Bob Casey, a Democrat, support the expansion plan.
Murphy's district includes Bucks County, some districts of Abington, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland in Montgomery County and two wards in Philadelphia. Schwartz's district includes the majority of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia.
You bet they will; but so will Republican socialists idiots.
The sad part for America is that the list of Socialists in Congress, in both parties, grows ever larger by the year. I’m hoping that we can get more true Conservatives on SCOTUS and in Congress before the tilt is so far to the left that it can’t be stopped.
Sounds to me like there are a few Reoublicans left with leadership potential. Maybe Murphy should just quit.
http://tinyurl.com/npt6tThe consequence of widespread constitutional ignorance is that the feds are walking all over the people's freedoms.
http://tinyurl.com/hehr8
As I mentioned in a previous post, the people need to wise up to the fact that the federal government is not working within its constitutional restraints. The people need to send home government leaders who are not upholding their oaths to defend the Constitution.
Another victory for Pres. Bush over the inept congress certainly didn’t get much publicity. This is the first that I have learned about it.
I believe this was their third recent attempt at passage and/or veto overrides. Unforunately, we shouldn’t expect for this to be over. The end game of liberals trying to push for an increase in SCHIP coverage is to socialize all health care.
Reid & Pelosi are miserable failures.
That is a 2008 update to the Progressive Caucus..Click on Caucus members when you get to that website.
Thank you very much, billmor!
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