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President Bush Should Prioritize Children's Health as Much as He Does the War

September 5, 2007
Blog

President Bush has threatened to veto a bill that would provide health care insurance to five million children who are currently uninsured.

The president's reason---the bill is simply too expensive. What he ignores is the fact that the CHAMP Act is fully paid for.

This Democratic House is concerned that too many children are growing up without health insurance---making it impossible for them to receive the regular checkups that they need to live long and healthy lives. The CHAMP Act would strengthen the CHIP program, a popular state and federal healthcare partnership, so that we can reach nearly all of the children who are currently eligible for the program.

The price tag is $50 billion additional dollars over five years. Again, the president says it's simply too much money. Yet, he has no problem asking this Congress to rubberstamp a new war emergency funding bill that press reports say could be as high as $50 billion, and that would only last about five months.

It's time President Bush prioritize the health care needs of our nation's children. He should support the CHAMP Act.