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Letter to editor spurs search for details on McKeon's SCHIP vote |
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Saturday, 03 November 2007 |
By Stacey Powells
Mammoth Times Staff Writer
In a letter to the editor in last week's Mammoth Times (Oct. 25-31, 2007), Leslie B. Willoughby stated that Congressman Buck McKeon (R-25th District) voted against kids' health and, “against the majority of Congress when he disapproved the bipartisan S-CHIP before it was presented to President Bush.” The Mammoth Times decided to look into the letter's point a bit further and asked “why” he voted the way he did.
According to McKeon Press Secretary Lindsey Mask, the congressman is a huge advocate and supporter of the S-CHIP and of extending and expanding the bill. As a matter of fact, he is an original co-sponsor of the Republican-based H.R. 3584, the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 authored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.). “He didn't support the new bill because it does not support needy children first,” Mask said. “The Republicans want to provide health care to the children who need it most, not just adults and middle-class families.”
In a News and Press Release dated Oct. 18, 2007, Congressman McKeon states, “I am a strong supporter of the State Children's Health Insurance Program and have been since Republicans created the program in 1997. I am also an advocate of expanding the measure to include more children in need of health care coverage. I, however, could not support the Democratic version of S-CHIP, which stepped over the most in need.” McKeon goes on to state that the S-CHIP legislation should insist that no less than 90-95 percent of SCHIP-eligible children be enrolled in the program before it is expanded to higher income, privately-insured children.
On Oct. 24, Congressman McKeon was joined by several of his California colleagues in formally requesting Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-8th District) to delay any consideration of the new S-CHIP legislation while members are in their districts dealing with the devastating wildfires. In a letter to Speaker Pelosi, the California members said that members should not be forced to make a choice between an important vote like S-CHIP and being with their constituents in a time of need.
The vote took place on Oct. 25, as scheduled and the breakdown was as follows:
Vote total: 265 – 142
Democratic breakdown 222 – 1
Republican breakdown 43 – 141
According to an e-mail the Mammoth Times received from Lindsey Mask, the above voting numbers mean the Democrats still do not have a “veto-proof” bill. “They won't have the votes to override a veto and will allow Republicans a seat at the table to reach a bipartisan agreement,” Mask stated. “Republicans, who created SCHIP, are huge supporters of extending and expanding the program, they just want to make sure the neediest children are served first.”
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 November 2007 )
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