Congressman Barrett on SCHIP Veto
Congressman Gresham Barrett (SC, 03) voted in favor of sustaining the Presidential veto of H.R. 976, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 today. House Members voted 156 to 273 to sustain the veto.
Barrett supports a straight reauthorization of the current State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which was created in 1997 and provides approximately 6.6 million low-income children with government funded health care services annually.
"Let's be clear, the issue at hand is not whether the SCHIP program is a good program, but rather if there is a need for a $35 billion expansion. My vote reflects my disagreement for the size and scope of this proposed reauthorization. There are other options and alternatives, which I support that ensure low-income children receive the coverage they need without expanding the governments' reach.
"Instead of reauthorizing the current SCHIP program, which is beneficial to countless needy children throughout the nation, the Majority party decided to re-invent the government health care wheel' by proposing an $35 billion expansion. The original intent of the program - which is to provide health insurance to children of low-income families that are unable to afford private coverage and do not qualify for Medicaid - will not be lost as it would have been if the President's veto had not been sustained.
"SCHIP needs to be reauthorized, but it can be and should be done in a fiscally responsible manner. I co-sponsored H.R. 3584, the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, which extends the current SCHIP law for an additional 18 months. This extension would allow Members the time necessary to work in a bi-partisan way to craft a bill that provides benefits to those that the program was first meant for; our low-income and uninsured children.
"By allowing families earning an annual income of $83,000 a year to take advantage of a program designed to help low-income uninsured children, H.R. 976 would have increased the price tag to taxpayers by $71 billion over 10 years. The President's decision to veto this legislation was the right one. This legislation starts us down a path toward a socialized health care system - and that is a path I don't want to be on. For too long now the federal government has tried to be all things to all people - the American people expect more and deserve more from us. I am pleased the veto is sustained and look forward to an opportunity together, to find common sense ways to help our uninsured children without bankrupting the system and increasing the tax burden."
H.R. 976 was passed by Congress and sent to the President on October 2, 2007. After receiving a veto message back from the President on October 3, 2007, the House passed a motion to postpone further consideration until October 18, 2007. Barrett is hopeful that the sustained veto will result in a common sense reauthorization of the SCHIP program that does not increase federal spending, expand the role of government in our health care system, and most importantly will ensure that low-income American children get the coverage they need.