Children’s Health Bill Passes
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 | Link | Spread The Word!
Millions of low income children and certain groups of legal immigrants are the first recipients of the sweeping change that was the foundation of Barack Obama’s campaign. Acknowledging that it falls short of far reaching healthcare reform, California Democrat Henry Waxman called it a ‘down payment’. The passage of the bill is further evidence of the changing climate in Washington. Only six months ago, George W. Bush was threatening states who insured too many children through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program with penalties. Under this bill, as many as four million children will be insured by 2013. Expansion of this program has been resisted by Republicans. Steve King (R Iowa) has called it “a foundation stone for socialized medicine.” Dissenters aside, the bill passed with the votes of 40 house Republicans.