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Washington, DC—Today, following the failure of the House of Representatives to overturn President Bush’s veto of the revised version of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization (H.R. 3963), Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), a member of the Joint Economic Committee, released the following statement: “There is no doubt that we are in the midst of an economic crisis. All across the country, hardworking families are losing their homes and their jobs—along with their dreams—as we experience increasing fallout from the lagging economy. In the face of record-high prices to heat their homes this winter or fill their gas tanks to get to work, too many people are being forced to sacrifice other necessities.
“Last month, the unemployment rate jumped to 5 percent, leaving an additional 900,000 Americans without jobs when compared to the same time a year before. With analysts estimating that an additional 1.2 to 1.5 million people become uninsured with every percentage point increase in unemployment, the backlash becomes even more severe.
“Yet, in the midst of this crisis, when access to health care for children is more critical than ever, President Bush and a number of my Republican colleagues have again refused to join the majority of Americans in supporting the reauthorization of the critical State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
“Overriding this veto would have preserved coverage for the 6.6 million children currently covered by SCHIP in addition to covering an additional 3.8 million children who are already eligible for the program and not yet enrolled. A veto override would have also replaced the Bush Administration’s devastating August 17th directive that will throw tens of thousands of children off of SCHIP rolls over the next several months.
“Spending a mere $35 billion—compared with the $465 billion we have spent for a failed war in Iraq—to allow struggling families to take their children to the doctor should not be a contentious issue. I am sorely disappointed in my colleagues who continue to play politics with the health of our most vulnerable population.”
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