Senate passes SCHIP expansion

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to expand healthcare coverage to uninsured children, including coverage for children of illegal immigrants.

The bill, similar to one passed two weeks ago by the House, provides health insurance to more than 4 million uninsured children. The Senate voted 66-32 in favor, with nine Republicans voting in favor, The New York Times reported.

Former President George W. Bush vetoed similar legislation twice, but President Barack Obama has said he would sign such a bill.

The bill would allow states to use federal funds to provide healthcare coverage to children and pregnant women who are in the country legally -- a provision that most Republicans opposed and a change from current law, which mostly prohibits legal immigrants from receiving Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program coverage until they have been in the United States for five years.

The legislation would allow states to cover more than 4 million uninsured children by 2013, in addition to providing continued coverage for 7 million children, the Congressional Budget Office said.

It would be financed in part by higher tobacco taxes.