Brown Hails Senate Vote on SCHIP

Yesterday the Senate joined the House in approving the compromise bill to extend and expand the SCHIP program, which in 2006 helped provide health insurance for 6.6 million children nationwide and 218,000 children in Ohio. The Senate vote was by a veto-proof 68-31, while the House vote fell some two dozen votes short of that goal. Industry groups such as American's Health Insurance Plans and the Federation of American Hospitals hailed the vote.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), who sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, released this statement about the legislation today:

“Soon after moving into the White House, President Bush pledged to leave no child behind. What about uninsured ones? To do well in school and thrive outside of it, children need the right care, at the right time, from the right provider – and they need our president to do the right thing. If President Bush truly wants to leave no child behind, instead of vetoing this bill he will champion it.

“I wish the president could meet the children and parents I talk to in Ohio. He wants private insurers to cover these children. So do I. But wishful thinking doesn’t cover kids, and neither does indifference. We have an opportunity to help millions of children to receive preventive care in the doctor’s office instead of acute care in the emergency room, and we should grab it.”

I searched the internet but could find not any statement from Sen. George Voinovich (R) explaining his vote against the legislation. I am waiting for a return call from his press secretary.