October 01, 2007
States Jump Into SCHIP Fray
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) filed a lawsuit against the Bush administration today, charging it with blocking an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Both houses of Congress passed SCHIP legislation, but President Bush has promised to veto the bill when it hits his desk sometime this week.
“With the health of our nation’s children hanging in the balance, President Bush is preparing to veto a bipartisan compromise that Congress has forged to ensure that all children receive quality health care," Spitzer said in a statement released this afternoon. "If this bill does not become law, we will proceed with our lawsuit. Our kids deserve nothing less."
SCHIP collected enough votes in the Senate to override a presidential veto, but it didn't get through the House with the veto-proof two-thirds majority. Last week, both houses of Congress were working on post-veto strategies.
Seven other states -- Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington, Arizona, California and New Hampshire -- will join New York in the lawsuit.
