It's Time To Turn Up The Heat On SCHIP

Here are some of the recent developments in the SCHIP veto override fight:

Zack Space Writes A Column

Representative Zack Space published the following column in Tuesday's edition of the Newark Advocate. 

When I initially made up my mind to run for Congress, the motivations behind that decision were very simple – I wanted to help people and make our great country even greater.  Regardless of political affiliation or ideology, I am sure those are the same motivations that compel everyone into public service.  It was hard to leave behind daily life in Ohio, but it was harder to sit idly by while our country went in the wrong direction.  I wanted to be part of the effort to bring about historic issues that will make life better for all Americans.

Recently, both the House and the Senate on a bipartisan basis overwhelmingly passed one of those historic pieces of legislation that would extend health insurance coverage to 10 million children.  Yet President Bush has vetoed this effort to get our children their care.  This administration has not made the health of our children a top priority, and he acted quickly to dash the hopes and safety of our children.

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program or SCHIP provides 145,000 children in Ohio with health insurance because their parents cannot afford it.  I was proud to join with the other 264 Members of the House and with the 67 Senators to renew and extend this vital program.  Created by a bipartisan effort in 1997, this program provides 6.6 million underprivileged children with the health coverage they need to become healthy adults.

When this legislation was originally passed, it was crafted by a bipartisan group who were focused on protecting our children.  Now in 2007, we have reached the deadline to renew this vital program.  The bill we passed would have renewed SCHIP and made funds available to ensure that 10 million children currently eligible will actually have the funds necessary to provide coverage.  Yet the President chose to veto the legislation. 

I never thought I would see the day when a President would veto legislation because it offers health insurance to too many children.

I worry that some Republican Members of Congress have lost sight of the real-world impact of sustaining this veto.  The health insurance coverage of 145,000 Ohio children is in jeopardy.  Your child, your neighbor’s children, or that child down the street who just fell off his bike will not be able to go to a doctor because the program they rely on for insurance will cease to exist if the Members siding with the President do not relent in their opposition.  Using our children as a political football is simply unconscionable to me.  It is not why I came to Washington.

I sincerely hope that the few Republican Members of Congress who have vowed to sustain Bush’s veto remember why they got into politics in the first place. 

Let’s overturn this veto and make sure Ohio’s children get every chance possible to lead healthy, productive lives.

Congressman Zack Space

New Ad Campaign Launches

Several groups (including AFL-CIO, AFSCME, SEIU, MoveOn.org, Americans United for Change, USAction, and True Majority Action) have banded together to launch an ad campaign against a few members of Congress who voted against SCHIP. Among their targets is Steve Chabot of the 1st district as you can see in the ad below. The rest of the ads are available here.

Kucinich Quits His Moral Stand

And finally Dennis Kucinich has came out and promised to support overriding the SCHIP veto, despite the fact that it doesn't include the children of legal immigrants. While I tend to agree with him about the need to include them (after all, aren't we all immigrants except for the Native Americans?) I still think you should take what you can get first and then work from there.