Senator Menendez: Bush's Latest Children's Health Insurance Veto Threat Is Highly Concerning For New Jersey Children

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Menendez led fight to preserve federal support for New Jersey's strong program in the Senate CHIP bill

September 20, 2007 -- WASHINGTON – President Bush today reiterated his opposition to the framework of a strong Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) bill that Congressional negotiators are reportedly close to announcing. The president has threatened to veto a bill along the lines of what Congress might pass, and he repeated that threat during his press conference today.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who led the fight to ensure the Senate version of the CHIP bill ensures continuing federal support for New Jersey’s strong FamilyCare program, made the following statement:

“Thousands of New Jersey children are at risk of being dropped into the ocean of the uninsured because of the president’s stubborn and uncompassionate stance. Children from families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford private insurance have nowhere else to turn for health coverage. Their president is telling them that theirs is a political cause. He’s wrong, it’s a human cause.

“President Bush is out of touch with the needs of our state, but I am standing up in the Senate for our children who have nowhere else to turn but this important program."

It is estimated that a veto of the projected Congressional bill will leave around 6 million children across the country and 130,000 in New Jersey without health coverage.

Source: Senator Robert Menendez