Congress May Override Veto for First Time in Bush Presidency

For the first time since George W. Bush took office, Congress could possibly override a presidential veto. The issue at hand isn’t a particularly controversial one: children’s health insurance. Everyone supports it, and no one wants to be viewed as an opponent.

So why has President Bush vetoed a bill that would increase spending on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)? And what does it mean for Congress to override his veto? Especially when voters are calling out for changes to the health care system, in which health is connected to employment.

Details

Congress passed a bill that would increase spending on SCHIP by $35 billion over the next five years by increasing tobacco taxes by 61cents to a total of $1 per pack. The new money would cover an additional 4 million children.

So what’s the argument with a program that covers children who don’t qualify for Medicare but can’t afford to pay for private health coverage?

The Bush administration contends that families who could sustain private insurance will shift to the SCHIP program instead, creating a massive state-run bureaucracy. President Bush argued that the bill includes families earning up to $83,000 per year, about four times the federal poverty level.

Republican Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, who helped write the bill, says that figure is incorrect and that President Bush has the wrong information. Being that Grassley is on the Finance Committee and one of the negotiators of the bill, he’s tough to argue with, and it’s politically difficult for any Republican to vote against the bill.

House v. Senate

House Democrats aren’t happy with the Senate version of the bill, since the House version would have also changed the new Medicare plan, Medicare Advantage, in which beneficiaries can opt-out of the traditional fee-for-service plan and go to a private provider.

House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D- California), who considers Medicare Advantage to be a move towards privatization, is disappointed that the House version didn’t make it past the Senate. But the Senate version didn’t make it past the president’s desk, and the rumor is that Bush’s veto is largely motivated by his frustration that Congress hasn’t considered his health proposals.

Bush would like to offer tax breaks to families who buy their own health insurance, but Democrats say the proposal is both impractical and costly and that it could end up benefiting wealthy families instead of the working poor.

So the House may not have enough votes to override the veto. Two-thirds, or 284 votes, are needed. The Senate already has its two-thirds or 66 votes, but both houses of Congress must pass the override.

The House vote won’t take place until October 18, 2007, giving proponents two weeks to jockey for votes. Labor unions, religious groups, and child activists are covering the Hill with letters, pamphlets and demonstrations, hoping to win the needed votes.

For more on how Congress works, listen to our radio show, Congress Watch: Compromise or Back Bone? [Link to radio show]

What do you think?

What do you think of Congress’ plan versus the Bush administration plan? Do you support the veto? What do you think would help uninsured families and children obtain insurance?

Tell your representatives what you think!