APHA Deeply Troubled by Bush Veto of CHIP

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Statement from Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), Executive Director, American Public Health Association

Washington, D.C., Oct. 3, 2007 – “APHA is deeply troubled that, despite overwhelming support from the general public and congressional leadership of both parties, President Bush today vetoed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which would have provided 10 million children access to health care.

“We are dismayed by the president’s misguided spending priorities, which fail to invest in protecting the health of our children.

“However, we don’t believe that the fight is over. A bipartisan group of leaders put great effort into passing a bill that takes important steps towards protecting the health of our nation’s children in need.

“APHA, supported by its thousands of members and professional allies, will continue to support efforts to pass the CHIP legislation. We ask the Congress to override this presidential veto.”

Founded in 1872, the APHA is the oldest, largest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. The association aims to protect all Americans and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States. APHA represents a broad array of health providers, educators, environmentalists, policy-makers and health officials at all levels working both within and outside governmental organizations and educational institutions. More information is available at www.apha.org.

Source: APHA