House fails again to override SCHIP veto

WASHINGTON, Del., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. House of Representatives, for the second time in recent months, failed Wednesday to override a presidential veto of a children's insurance program.

The 260-152 vote to override President George Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program fell 15 votes shy of the needed two-thirds majority. Nineteen members did not vote.

Twice in 2007 Bush, backed by House Republicans, vetoed legislation to expand the popular health insurance for needy children by $35 billion. Critics said the expansion would have made middle-class children, whose parents could afford healthcare insurance on their own, eligible. Backers said the additional coverage was needed to protect more low-income children.

Congress eventually passed legislation that would extend SCHIP until March 31, 2009.

Bush said he was pleased that his veto remained in tact.

"Ultimately our goal should be to move children who have no health insurance to private coverage," he said, "not to move children who already have private insurance to government coverage."

During floor debate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urged the chamber to override Bush's veto, saying, "Let's remove all doubt in anyone's mind that this Congress of the United States understands our responsibility to the children, understands our responsibility to the future."