On Oct. 18, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to override the president’s veto of the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. One week later, despite making significant changes in the legislation called for by House Republicans, the House again failed to get the two-thirds needed to overcome yet another threatened veto. Congressman Jim Matheson was Utah’s only House member to vote for the legislation. Sen. Orrin Hatch is to be commended for the reauthorization legislation in the Senate and the strong bipartisan compromise he helped craft. The objections of the president and his defenders leave me scratching my head.
While everyone seems to be in denial about the rising cost of health care, the president seems to have an ideological objection to SCHIP. He said he would veto any legislation increasing costs more than $5 billion over five years. This would cover even fewer children than are currently enrolled in the program.