by William Neikirk
Democratic leaders said today that they will send another bill to President Bush within two weeks to expand a health-care plan to 10 million children.
Defiant after failing to override the president’s veto of the huge expansion of the program, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Democrats would accept nothing less.
She expressed confidence that the party could gain another 10 to 12 Republican votes that she said would give the measure a veto-proof majority. Nine Republicans changed their position on the veto-override measure and supported Democrats, she said.
Pelosi said Bush is isolated on the issue and that coverage of 10 million children “is not negotiable.” She said she would be happy to meet with Bush on the program, but would not back down from that number.
The program, known as SCHIP for State Children’s Health Care Program, now covers six million children. The Democratic-sponsored bill would add $35 million to the program over the next five years to cover an additional four million children.
The White House opposed the bill on grounds that it would expand the program to many middle-income families who now have health insurance for their children.
The GOP leadership in Congress urged Democrats to sit down and negotiate a compromise that both parties could support.