One Week Before SCHIP Vote (old)

Three weeks ago, the House’s scheduled vote on overriding the President’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization bill (SCHIP). House leaders spent the last week working tirelessly trying to garner more support from the 159 Republicans that voted against the bill’s passage. Opponents of the bill, as it stands, only need 145 votes to sustain a veto, meaning Democrats need to convince at least fifteen Republicans to switch side if they want to override the President.

H.R. 976, the reauthorization bill, provides for a $35 billion expansion of SCHIP over five years, to a total of $60 billion. The President, who proposed a $5 billion expansion, vetoed the legislation last week, citing excessive spending and tax increases as his basis for attempting to kill the bill. To pay for the greater expansion, Congress increased taxes on cigarettes, a tax that the Congressional Research Service claims will be passed on to low-income Americans. Republicans, reluctant to agree to any tax increase, claim that they will remain steadfast and will vote to sustain the veto. Moderate Republicans that voted for the bill are trying to suggest minor changes that might reign in spending, but Democrats seem unwilling to negotiate after the President’s veto.

The Senate meanwhile, seems to have the 67 votes necessary to override the veto, but because the bill originated in the House, it must act first. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is the most outspoken Republican pushing for the override. Grassley has spent time during the last week attempting to convince his colleagues in the House to pass the bill, but House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), claims that he still has the necessary votes to sustain the veto and put the bill to its final rest.

Resources:
Alex Wayne, “Democrats Say They Aren’t Interested in GOP-Touted SCHIP Compromise,” CQ Today, October 10, 2007.
Author: SAS