Senate passes SCHIP
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| News Archive
| Topics: children, insurance, politics
With a safe margin of 68-31, the Senate passed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Now the House and Senate versions go to conference with a strong likelihood of an agreement before current legislation expires on Sept. 30. Differences needing to be resolved include revenue sources to pay for the program. The House version trims Medicare Advantage, reported to be bloated; and the chambers have differing proposals for hiking cigarettes taxes. Although Republican support was strong ("Covering these children is worth every cent," said Senator Orrin G. Hatch), all the opposition came from Republicans. President Bush has consistently threatened a veto, but many dismiss his argument -- "this federalizes health care" -- as sloganeering.
