BUSH VETO OF S-CHIP BILL "SLAP IN THE FACE" TO UNINSURED CHILDREN

         Harrisburg, October 3, 2007 -- State Senate Democratic Whip Michael A. O'Pake (D-Berks) today expressed disgust with President Bush's veto of the bipartisan federal legislation that would have provided for a responsible expansion of health insurance coverage to more low to moderate income children in Pennsylvania and throughout America.
         "This turns back the clock on the progress of the states -- and the effort that began in Pennsylvania 15 years ago -- to provide health insurance coverage to the children of families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance.
         "It's truly a slap in the face to those children from low to moderate income families in Pennsylvania and throughout our nation who remain uninsured," O'Pake said.  "Many people are wondering how this President can spend $190 billion a year in Iraq, but opposes spending $35 billion over 5 years to keep America's children healthy."
         O'Pake, who had written to the President asking him to rethink his threat of a veto and was the prime sponsor of a state Senate resolution along the same lines, said he would now "urge Pennsylvania's entire Congressional delegation to override of this wrongheaded decision of the President."
         Pennsylvania became a model for the nation in 1992 with its enactment of the state's Children's Health Insurance Program.  The federal government became a partner with the states in this effort in 1997 with its enactment of the federal S-CHIP law.  As a result of the state and federal programs, some 640,000 Pennsylvania children who otherwise would have gone without health care have received coverage through CHIP.
        The new federal legislation approved by Congress "with an overwhelming bipartisan majority" would have provided the states with additional federal support to expand CHIP coverage to more uninsured children.  The President's veto, if not overturned, threatens Pennsylvania's newly enacted "Cover All Kids" program approved by the General Assembly last year and subsequently approved by the federal government in advance of today's S-CHIP veto by Bush.     
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