S-CHIP day

In addition to being U-Line Day, today is also S-CHIP day, as the House and Senate vote to override President Bush's veto. In anticipation of that, the CPPP has some reading for you.

On October 18, Congress will vote on whether to override the President's veto of the bipartisan Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007. Anticipating the vote, America is engaged in a major public debate about children's health insurance. The Texas Congressional Delegation is split. Senator Hutchison and 12 Texas representatives voted for the bipartisan bill. Senator Cornyn and 18 Texas representatives voted against the bipartisan bill. Senator Cornyn is a co-sponsor of an alternative called McConnell-Lott. This paper analyzes how the bipartisan bill would help our state and how the alternative would hurt. Based upon this analysis, CPPP urges our Texas congressional delegation to vote to override the President's veto.

Here's the first paper (PDF), entitled "How the Bipartisan CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2007 Helps Texas and How the McConnell-Lott-Cornyn Alternative Hurts Texas", and the second paper (PDF), called "CBO's Estimate of Changes in SCHIP and Medicaid Enrollment of Children". Meanwhile, Eye on Williamson fact checks Rep. John Carter, who is clearly standing by his man on this one. Check 'em out, and read on for another press release from CD10 candidate Dan Grant once again urging Rep. Mike McCaul to do the right thing.

Congressional challenger Dan Grant today said his his opponent, incumbent Rep. Mike McCaul, has a critical choice to make this week as the U.S. House prepares to take up a bi-partisan measure that will provide health coverage to 1.5 million uninsured Texas children under the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

"Will Mr. McCaul stand with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on the side of Texas kids or with Sen. John Cornyn on the side of Washington politicians?" Grant asked.

Sen. Hutchison has said she will vote to override President George W. Bush's veto of the children's health bill, which passed the U.S. Senate with an overwhelming bi-partisan majority last month. Sen. Cornyn has struggled to explain why he sided with the insurance industry and voted in the minority against the original bill.

A vote to override the President's veto is scheduled for Thursday in the U.S. House, where McCaul also voted against the measure.

Grant said the SCHIP bill will provide health insurance to eligible children of working parents who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance, which costs Texas families an average of $11,000 per year.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 18, 2007 to Budget ballyhoo