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Portland, OR – President Bush has made good on his promise to veto a bill that would have dramatically expanded health insurance coverage for kids, and Oregon's Congressional delegation is gearing up to fight back. Only Congressman Walden appears set to stand with the President. An override vote could come as early as next week in the U.S. House. Congressman Earl Blumenauer says the wrangling over S-CHIP, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, is a sign that Oregonians need to take matters into their own hands by funding Oregon’s Healthy Kids Plan.
"Oregonians do not have to let President Bush decide whether we can insure our kids. Measure 50 would make sure more of Oregon's kids get the health care they deserve."
Measure 50 is the initiative that increases the tobacco tax to pay for health coverage for more than 100,000 uninsured Oregon kids.
Blumenauer feels there are so many children without health insurance that, to him, the President's veto makes no sense.
"I'm angered and dismayed that the President vetoed a program that would provide health insurance to ten million children without insurance."
