The vote was a solid 265 to 159. But while the Senate is expected to pass the compromise bill later this week and then send it on to Bush, threat of a veto looms large. According to a “Washington Post” report, “amid furious White House lobbying, even Republican advocates in the House ruefully conceded that they will probably fall short of the 290 votes they will need next week to override the promised veto.”
SCHIP provides health coverage for 6.6 million children from families whose income is above the poverty line but still makes buying private insurance a challenge. The proposed expansion–supported by the AMA, many governors and a slew of health advocates–would add 4 million children to the rolls.
Bush is not budging from his threat to nix the bill.
SCHIP is set to expire on Sunday. To keep it running as is, congressional Democrats plan a temporary extension tucked into a larger spending bill that kicks in when the government’s new fiscal year starts Oct. 1