Denver - Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak today condemned President Bush's veto of legislation that would have renewed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) - which currently provides health care coverage to over 6 million children nationwide - and improve it by expanding coverage for more children in Colorado. President Bush's veto, which will prevent 60,000 uninsured children in Colorado from gaining health care, comes despite overwhelming support of the American people for expanding SCHIP. According to recent polls, 86 percent of the American people support reauthorizing SCHIP, with seven in ten saying they support the Democratic plan to expand SCHIP by $35 billion over five years. [Robert Wood Johnson Foundation release, 8/23/07; Washington Post, 10/2/07]

Not only have a bipartisan group of 43 governors, including Gov. Bill Ritter, called on President Bush to extend and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, but seven states filed lawsuits against the Bush Administration challenging proposed federal rules that would "force poor children to lose health coverage." [Associated Press, 10/01/07]

Pat Waak called on Sen. Wayne Allard and the Republican Presidential candidates to stand up to President Bush and join Democrats in voting to override President Bush's veto.

"President Bush and the Republicans trying to replace him may think it makes sense to turn their backs on Colorado's children, but Senator Allard, Representatives Marilyn Musgrave, Doug Lamborn, and Tom Tandredo have an opportunity to join with Democrats in standing up for kids in Colorado," said Pat Waak. "Allowing President Bush's reckless and irresponsible veto to stand means denying thousands of Colorado children the opportunity to see a doctor, receive preventative care and live healthier and happier lives. Republicans like Allard, Musgrave, Lamborn and Tancredo should have the courage to do the right thing and stand up to President Bush by joining Democrats in fighting for the families and children of Colorado."

Bush Republicans Running for White House Oppose SCHIP

RUDY GIULIANI

Giuliani Calls the Children's Health Insurance Program "Socialized Medicine." "[I]t would have the really odd effect of moving children who presently have private insurance to becoming wards of the state, basically having to move in the direction of - and I know the Democrats get all upset when you say this, but they're taking us toward socialized medicine…It is not - it's not really good to move this thing, in terms of more government control health care." [This Week, ABC News, 8/5/07]

Giuliani Supported Bush's Veto Threat. Hardwood reported, "Giuliani also weighed into the controversy now brewing in Washington over children's healthcare. President Bush has threatened to veto what the Democrats have proposed to dramatically expand that program, saying it will lead to single payer. Giuliani condemned socialized medicine and he said Bush is right." Giuliani said, "If in fact the analysis is correct, and you know we have to see the final version; if it in fact is going to move children away form private insurance to government controlled healthcare, I think then you have to veto it." [CNBC, July 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgnOhJtJ6_E]

JOHN MCCAIN

McCain Opposed Reauthorizing of the SCHIP and Providing Insurance For Millions of Uninsured Children. McCain voted against reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program for five years, expanding the program by $35.2 billion. It would cover children in households with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty line. [Senate Vote #307, 8/2/07]

McCain Claimed the Reauthorization Covered Too Many Children. In a speech on the Senate floor regarding the authorization of SCHIP, McCain claimed "the program has expanded beyond what Congress first intended. In some cases, SCHIP coverage has been extended to middle-income children and to certain adult populations." [Congressional Record, 8/2/07]

2005: McCain Chose Tax Breaks For Wealthy Americans Instead of Funding SCHIP. McCain voted against a sense of the senate motion that expressed that the Senate should not extend the 15 percent dividend and capital gains tax rates for high-income taxpayers until the federal government provides funding to state and local entities to enroll children in SCHIP. [Senate Vote #337, 11/17/05]

MITT ROMNEY

Romney Would Veto Bill to Insure Children by Expanding SCHIP. Asked "If Mitt Romney were president today, would he veto the SCHIP bill as President Bush has threatened to do this week," Romney said: "Yeah. Yeah, I sure would. I'd veto it out of my belief that we should have every citizen insured. I put forward a plan in my state that gets every citizen insured….The right pathway to get everybody insured is to help people get private insurance. The SCHIP pathway is simply the wrong way. It's unfortunate the Democrats used this vehicle. It would have been far wiser to have a more comprehensive plan to have everybody insured." [Kansas City Star online, 10/01/07 http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/7151]

FRED THOMPSON

Thompson Was One of 2 Senators To Oppose Ensuring A Portion Of the Budget Be Spent On Insuring Children In Poverty. Sen. Thompson was one of only 2 senators to oppose an amendment that would ensure that $16 billion of the budget would be spent over five years to provide health insurance for up to five million low-income children. [Senate Vote #75, 5/21/97]

Thompson Voted Against Providing Health Insurance To Low Income Children. Thompson voted against increasing the tobacco tax to provide more money to help insure low and moderate income children. [Senate Vote #76, 5/21/1997]

Thompson Voted Against Expanding Children's Health Insurance Program. Thompson was one of only 19 senators to oppose revising the Social Security Act and providing $8 billion to states to health insurance coverage for low-income children. [Senate Vote #135, 6/26/97]