Congressman Barrett Votes to Sustain President's Veto

Press Release

Congressman Barrett Votes to Sustain President's Veto

The following organizations are among those in support of the House vote to sustain the Presidential veto of SCHIP: American Conservative Union, American Enterprise Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste, Club for Growth, Galen Institute, Heritage Foundation, National Taxpayer's Union, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina Policy Council.

Congressman Gresham Barrett (SC, 03) voted against H.R. 3963 as the House of Representatives today voted to override the President's Veto of the Democrat sponsored SCHIP bill. In a vote of 260 to 152, today's floor vote marks the second time House Members voted to sustain the President's SCHIP veto.

"The legislation did not possess substantial changes, it was very similar to the previous SCHIP bill that the President has vetoed," said Congressman Barrett. "I continue to hold a disagreement for the size and scope of a proposed and inflated extension where a straight reauthorization of SCHIP would do."

Congressman 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. The program gives block grants to states to assist them in coverage of uninsured, low income children who do not qualify for Medicaid.

H.R. 3963, strays from the original intent of SCHIP and would provide health care to two million children who are already eligible for private health care insurance. Democrats claimed H.R. 3963 included changes to several provisions; however, language paralleled that of H.R. 976, which the President vetoed in December. If passed, the legislation would have also extended health care coverage to adults.

"If we are able to compromise, a good SCHIP bill would not include health care coverage for adults. Therefore, I voted in strong support of a Senate sponsored bill which provides a clean extension of the SCHIP program and continues to put children first on the list of receiving heath care," said Congressman Barrett.

The Senate passed S. 2499, the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, by unanimous consent. The passed legislation provides a straight extension of SCHIP through March 31, 2009. The House overwhelmingly passed S. 2499 the following day with a vote of 411 to 3. S. 2499 was signed into law by the President on December 29, 2007.

H.R. 3963 was passed by the House on October 25, 2007 and vetoed by the President on December 12, 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 or expand the role of government in our health care system. Most importantly, he hopes it will ensure that low-income American children get the coverage they need.

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