Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 -- Veto Message From the President of the United States
Floor Speech
CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007--VETO MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES -- (House of Representatives - October 18, 2007)
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Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, when it comes to the war on terror, the President is always quick to remind members of the international community that they're either with us or against us. There is no neutral or impartial position that can be taken. Well, I'm here to tell my colleagues today that there is no nonaligned position that they can assume on child care. You either support working families with health care for their children, or you don't. It's just that simple.
Now, I've heard the specious claims that SCHIP is a form of socialized medicine. The President did not call it socialized medicine when he promised the American people he would seek to expand the program when he was accepting the party's nomination for a second term. Then again, how can it be socialized medicine when it covers 10 million children and not be socialized medicine for 6 million children?
And the outrageous claim that this Congress is neglecting poor children is inaccurate. We already provide assistance to poor children through Medicaid. SCHIP is designed to provide assistance to those working families whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid and too low to purchase private health care coverage.
If you do not want to provide relief to middle-income families, you should just have the guts to say so. But don't come here to the floor and mislabel this bill as socialized medicine or accuse Democrats of not prioritizing the needs of America's children.
I implore those of you who plan to vote to sustain the veto to reconsider your position. Think of how devastated you would be if your children and grandchildren had to go without basic health care. Imagine the hopelessness and despair you would feel in such a situation.
This is where we are today, because when you cast your votes today, you either stand with our children or you stand against them. There is no in between.
Let's vote to override the President's veto.
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