Congressional Democrats on Thursday set afire an olive branch extended by President Bush on a bill to fund a federal children’s health insurance program.
Bush, who vetoed the bill on Wednesday, told a Pennsylvania crowd he is willing to increase his funding proposal for the program if it will lead to a deal with Congress.
But both House and Senate Democrats insisted there is no room for compromise.
House Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called Bush’s overture “an insult” and said he is a president out of touch with reality who used his “macho pen” to hurt children.
“If he thinks he can waltz in here, with his secretary of Health and Human Services, and sweet-talk us, he can’t. We’re notgoing to compromise. If he’s hoping for that, he’d better hope for something else,” Reid said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “We have compromised all we can compromise,” but then added, “We’re always willing to talk.”
Congress last week passed legislation that would increase spending for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, from $25 billion to $60 billion over five years. The bill, which aims to provide insurance for poor children who do not qualify for Medicaid, far exceeds a proposal by Bush to increase spending by $5 billion over the next five years.
Bush told the Lancaster, Pa., Chamber of Commerce that he rejected the bill sent from Congress because it expands federal health care eligibility to children well above the poverty level.
But he also indicated a willingness to spend more than the $5 billion in his initial plan.
“I’m more than willing to work with members of both parties from both houses,” Bush said. “And if they need a little more money in the bill to help us meet the objective of getting help for poorer children, I’m more than willing to sit down with the leaders and find a way to do so.”
The two sides have little choice but to work out a deal. Funding for the program expired on Sept. 30, and a short-term extension ends on Nov. 16.
The House has scheduled a vote to override Bush’s veto on Oct. 18, but Democrats are not expected to get enough GOP support to reach the necessary two-thirds majority.
Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-N.C., an opponent of the bill, said Democrats are serving their own political interests by holding out on a compromise.
“This just shows they are using this bill as a political weapon,” McHenry said.
