Bush defends child health insurance veto

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush defended his veto of a $35 billion expansion of a children's health insurance program,

The State Children's Health Insurance Program would have increased eligibility for the program by 83,000, including some children from families with relatively higher income, Bush said Wednesday at a news conference.

"Now, I think the federal government ought to help those who are poor. And one of the reasons why I work so hard on Medicare reform is to make sure that we fulfill our promise to the elderly," Bush said. "But I don't like plans that move people from -- encourage people to move from private medicine to the public, and that's what's happening under this bill."