The U.S. House of Representatives failed to override the presidential veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) yesterday, dividing Republicans and Democrats not only in Congress but also at Penn State.

Brandon Means, College Republicans chairman, said he agreed with the House majority decision to sustain the veto.

"It's a great idea to give less fortunate children some health insurance," Means said. "However, the expansion that was proposed seemed to be a little too much."

College Democrats spokeswoman Samantha Miller said the Democrats were disappointed and the "saddest part is that partisan politics shouldn't play into getting children healthcare."
"Children don't have another option," she added.

The final vote count for the children's health bill was 273-156, 13 votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override President George W. Bush's veto, according to The Associated Press.

As it was presented, the vetoed bill would add about four million uninsured children to the insurance program, which would cost $35 billion over five years, according to the AP. The program covers those who do not qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford private healthcare.
U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., has come under fire locally for his continued opposition to the bill.

About 60 locals, along with some members of the College Democrats, held a vigil outside his State College office Tuesday in protest of his position.

Yesterday, Peterson voted to sustain the veto.

"We hope to go back to the drawing board and work with Democratic leadership to form a bill we can all agree upon," Peterson's spokesman Travis Windle said.

U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., voted yesterday to override the president's veto.

"He's extremely disappointed that they weren't able to override the veto," said Christina Stacey, Altmire's spokeswoman, adding that SCHIP was a bipartisan bill. "The healthcare of 180,000 Pennsylvania children could be threatened if Congress doesn't reauthorize SCHIP."

SCHIP is currently being funded by a continuing resolution passed on Sept. 26, which authorizes $5 billion for the program for an additional year, Stacey said.

Windle said "no children are in jeopardy of losing their current healthcare at this moment, though, Democrats and Republicans will eventually have to come to a mutual agreement on SCHIP."

Normally a vote to override a president's veto is taken immediately following the veto. But, in this case, Democrats "played politics" for two weeks, Windle said.

"The program is due to be re-authorized this year so our hope is that we can work with the Democratic leadership to come up with a bipartisan resolution for the SCHIP program," he said.
Congress will also have to create a bill that will be supported by the president, Stacey said.
"A lot of families, a lot of children are affected by this," she added.