House Fails to Override Veto of Health Insurance Bill

WASHINGTON - By a vote of 260 to 152 Wednesday, the House failed to muster the two-thirds majority necessary to override President Bush's veto of a bill to increase the availability of health insurance under the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP.  Rep. Tom Petri voted in support of the measure, and issued the following statement:

             "SCHIP funds an essential portion of Wisconsin's BadgerCare program for low-income residents.  Despite the successful veto, the current BadgerCare program is continuing under a stop-gap extension until March 31, 2009.  A lot of hard work has gone into the issue, compromises have been made, and I think the President should have signed the bill.  We will have to continue efforts to find the right formula for consensus."  (Audio of Rep. Petri's Comments)