CAG Press Release

Gary Zuckett - 304-346-5891

Citizen Action Slams Bush’s Second Veto of Children’s Health Care Bill

Bush hides from working families while he denies
quality, affordable health care to their children

Charleston —Citizen Action Executive Director ent Bush’s second veto – “in private,” the New York Times reported – of legislation to renew and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program:

“President Bush chose to hide in a dark corner of the White House on Wednesday when he vetoed children’s access to quality, affordable health care for the second time this year.  It’s no surprise that he has a sense of shame in doing this. It would have taken a strong sense of America’s priorities to support this much-needed package and the President has just demonstrated just how out of touch he is with the American public on this issue.”

“The president’s veto leaves $35 billion in health-care funding out of reach for millions of children whose parents work hard but can’t afford private insurance, but even today he continues to demand that Congress hand him another $70 billion in blank-check funding for his war in Iraq.  It’s time for the president’s allies in Congress to change course, stand up for their constituents and reverse the president’s upside-down priorities.”

“WV Citizen Action believes that everyone in West Virginia and America is entitled to high-quality, affordable health care as a guaranteed right.  Expanding the children’s health insurance program is a proven, practical and popular way to move toward this goal. It has broad, bipartisan, across-the-board support from a majority of Americans.”