Would GOP Presidential Candidates Stand with Bush and Veto Children's Health Care?

As House Just Approved the State Children's Health Insurance Program would Giuliani, McCain, Romney and Thompson Stand with Bush and Veto Children's Health Insurance Program SCHIP?

The leading Republican presidential contenders have stood stubbornly behind President Bush on issue after issue and now they also appear to be standing behind his threat to veto health care for low-income children (SCHIP). America's voters deserve to know: Would Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson veto the children's health care bill that Congress will likely pass today?

The bill came up for discussion during an August debate in Iowa, "with the entire field siding with President Bush and against the proposed expansion of the federally funded children's health insurance program that passed the Senate last week." [Washington Times, 8/6/07] Rudy Giuliani called the plan "socialized medicine." Just last month, John McCain voted against extending the bipartisan effort which has sent more than six million kids from low income families to the doctor, cutting the number of uninsured children by one-third. When asked if he supported the SCHIP bill, Mitt Romney used a page from President Bush's failed playbook, saying that we need to rely on the private market, and while in the Senate, Fred Thompson consistently voted against providing insurance to low income children.

"Not one child should go a day without health care, let alone a year," said DNC Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. "Congress today is expected to pass a bipartisan bill to ensure that more of America's low-income children can see a doctor and get the medicines they need to get well yet President Bush has threatened to veto this critical bill. Americans want to know: Do the Republican candidates stand behind Bush like they have on every issue from Iraq to Social Security or do they oppose President Bush's veto threat?"

Where Are They on Health Care Coverage for Low Income Children?

RUDY GIULIANI