Media Center

Just as the President vetoed the first Children’s Health bill; he again vetoed the second bill, which would have provided 10 million American children health coverage. This veto was the President’s 7^th veto in 7 years and is one of two vetoes denying millions of our nation’s children access to healthcare. The President’s decision to veto the second bill came after painstaking negotiations and revisions to meet several concerns raised, including enrolling lower-income children first and ensuring benefits are denied to illegal immigrants. The second bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 265 to 142, passed the Senate by a veto-proof margin of 64 to 30 and is supported by 270 organizations representing millions of Americans.

“The President’s decision to veto the second SCHIP bill is simply unconscionable. Georgia’s children deserve healthcare and are suffering at the hands of an administration that continues to work against negotiation for a strong bill,” Congressman Scott said.

It costs less than $3.50 a day to cover a child through CHIP and insuring lower-income children is cost-effective for taxpayers, who pick up the tab for indigent care in emergency rooms—the most expensive way to care for a child’s health. Today, Georgia’s Peachcare program is running a deficit and is maintaining current enrollment through an HHS grant. We, in Congress are dedicated to fighting for a sound SCHIP bill. Until a sound SCHIP bill can be agreed upon, we must proceed with an extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program to ensure that no child currently enrolled will lose their healthcare coverage.

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