Every Child Matters - Federal Children's Watch

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State Children's Health Insurance Program

President Bush vetoed a Congressional bill that would have expanded State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) by an additional $35 billion over five years and covered an estimated 4 million more children. President Bush says it goes too far toward socializing health care. The bill now returns to the House, where it originated. The Senate could override the veto, but the House is still more than 20 votes short of the required two-thirds majority.

See What's at Stake for America's Children

This bill represents a bipartisan compromise to reach out to the growing number of low-income, uninsured children in this country and ensure that they get access to a healthy start. The bill:

Adds $35 billion to the program over the next five years to cover approximately 10 million children: 6.6 million children who are currently enrolled and 4 million children who will be uninsured without this bill. The majority of the new children the bill will cover are eligible for coverage today; the bill does not dramatically expand coverage.
Better allocates funding to states to cover uninsured children and helps avoid funding shortfalls that prevent children from receiving coverage.
Gives states new tools to conduct outreach to enroll eligible uninsured children.
Strengthens the CHIP benefit package by guaranteeing dental health and mental health benefits.

How many children in your state could gain coverage under the compromise bill? Click here to find out. Congress will vote on October 18th to override the President's veto. Every Child Matters will keep you updated on how you can tell Congress and the candidates for President to support a strong CHIP bill and make sure uninsured kids get the coverage they deserve.

ABC News
Families Brace for S-CHIP Demise
Many Poorer Families Fear Presidential Veto Threatens Their Chidren's Health Care

Carolyn Taylor, a full-time nursing assistant and medical technician, works hard to ensure that she is able to provide for her 11-year-old son Keith. But on Monday, she — along with thousands of others — took time off to rally in support of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

"The rally was to let Bush know we need health insurance for our children," said Taylor, a Baltimore resident. "We wanted to let President Bush know we are real people. He said there would be no child left behind. Well, we're getting left behind unless he continues SCHIP."

Read more.

To learn more about the challenges facing America's children, please download Every Child Matters Education Fund's new publication, Homeland Insecurity…Why Children Must Be a Priority in the 2008 Presidential Campaign, a 20 page report which makes the case for new investments in children, youth and families. It provides data comparing the well-being of children in the U.S. to other rich democracies. And it shows marked differences in child well-being among the 50 states.