Congress, Bush in insurance showdown
U.S. President George Bush and the U.S. Congress were at showdown stage Thursday over funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
The Democrat-controlled Congress passed a measure boosting funding for the state-run health insurance program for children from families who don't qualify for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance to $35 billion over five years, which is seven times as much as Bush endorsed.
Thursday, the House of Representatives was to vote on Bush's veto of the bill, which is financed by a 61-cent-a-pack tax increase on cigarettes.
While the Senate has sufficient votes -- 67 -- to override the veto, the House is less certain, CNN reported. In September, the House vote was 265-159, which is short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
Regardless, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Wednesday night she was optimistic enough Republicans would join her side.
"The president is alone and he's dragging some of his House members with him down this path," Pelosi said. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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