Iowa Governor Culver Responds To President Bush's Comments On SCHIP

Governor Sends Letter to President Outlining Concerns

September 20, 2007 -- (Des Moines) Today, Iowa Governor Chet Culver expressed disappointment in President Bush’s threat to veto reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

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As Congress prepares to vote on legislation reauthorizing SCHIP as early as next week, President Bush today again reiterated his threat to veto the legislative package, saying “I know their proposal is beyond the scope of the program, and that’s why I’m going to veto the bill.”

“The ‘scope of the program’ is to insure children,” said Governor Culver. “I have made it my goal as Governor to ensure all Iowa children have access to quality, affordable health coverage before the end of my first term. I was disappointed with President Bush's statement today on SCHIP reauthorization. I urge the President to reconsider his veto threat because it unnecessarily jeopardizes health coverage for thousands of Iowa children. Iowa's children deserve better.”

In addition, Governor Culver sent President Bush a letter outlining his concerns that without a new infusion of federal dollars by the deadline, Iowa will not have sufficient federal matching dollars to pay October premiums for our children who rely on SCHIP for health care.

Read a copy of the complete letter (pdf file)

Source: Iowa Governor