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Bush, Democrats continue battle over S-CHIP

by Brian Mooar, NBC News
Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Bush today said he's willing to work with Congress on finding more money for the State Children's Health Insurance Program.       

The president this week vetoed a health insurance bill supported by many of his fellow Republicans and now Democrats are trying to override that veto.       

Bush didn't offer any specifics but in his weekly radio address said he's willing to compromise.  

"If putting poor children first takes a little more than the 20 percent increase I have proposed in my budget for S-CHIP, I am willing to work with leaders in Congress to find the additional money," said the president.  

But Democrats are still trying to rally support in an uphill battle to override that veto. They're all but calling a vote against S-CHIP a vote against children.  

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer implied that President Bush is "saying no" to poor children promised assistance in the Democratic response to his address.

"The only thing standing between millions of American children and the health insurance they need and deserve is one person," said Hoyer, D-Md.  

The president argues the bill is extravagant, helps families that really don't need it and amounts to a government takeover of health care.  

For now, at least, he has the margin he needs to win, but he knows many Republicans will be standing on the other side.  

"He will give many of them a free pass to vote against him so they can go home and say they voted to support the S-CHIP, but at the same time he'll have upheld and have enough hardcore Republicans to defeat the bill," said Pat Buchanan, a former Republican presidential candidate and conservative commentator.  

Still, the president is offering a compromise and an effort to save children's health care, while saving face at the same time.

Democrats have scheduled the veto override vote Oct. 18, hoping to build political pressure over the next two weeks.