SENATE PASSES SCHIP COMPROMISE

Published on November 2, 2007

On November 1, the U.S. Senate passed yet another bill to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). After a day of lengthy debate and several procedural motions, the bill finally came up for a vote and passed by a 64-30 margin.

The measure is identical to H.R. 3963 that passed in the House of Representatives last week. It provides health coverage to nearly 10 million low-income children. It continues language to provide $35 billion in new resources over five years and strengthens SCHIP in a number of other areas. There are some changes from the previous version of the bill that was vetoed by the President, including incentives for states to enroll the lowest income children; capping maximum eligibility at 300 percent of the federal poverty level, and phasing out coverage for childless adults in one year rather than two.

Earlier in the day, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) asked for a unanimous agreement to move the vote to Monday to give a bipartisan group of Senators more time to negotiate a compromise that would be acceptable to House Republicans. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) rejected that offer, and Majority Leader Reid was forced to move the bill on Thursday because of scheduling conflicts next week.

The bill will now be sent back to the White House, where the President will have a second chance to show where he stands on children's health care.

For more information on the vote, click here.