Today, Democrats in Congress stood together to support the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and override President Bush’s veto of the bipartisan program. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress, including Wisconsin’s own Paul Ryan and James Sensenbrenner, sustained the President’s veto, denying health care to 3.8 million additional children that would have been covered under the program.
“Republicans in Congress stood with President Bush yet again today, voting to deny health care to children across the country – and right here in Wisconsin,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said.
Recent state surveys show there are nearly 100,000 uninsured children in Wisconsin. SCHIP would expand coverage to 10 million children across the country. The legislation received the bipartisan support of members of Congress, Senators, Governors, and an overwhelming majority of the American public. According to recent polls, 86 percent of the American people support reauthorizing SCHIP, with seven in ten saying they support the Democratic plan to expand SCHIP by $35 billion over five years. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation release, 8/23/07; Washington Post, 10/2/07)
“Despite the overwhelming support, Republicans like Paul Ryan and James Sensenbrenner stood between millions of children and the health care they need today,” Wineke said. “Yet again, Republicans in Congress side with President Bush to stall critical progress that Democrats have worked so hard for. This time, it comes at the cost of denying health care to children in our own state.”
“Our children should not go one day without health care, let alone one year,” Wineke said. “Our Democrats in Congress will go back to work to strengthen SCHIP. I urge Republicans to join us, stop standing in the way of critical legislation, and ensure our kids have the health insurance they need.”
