President Bush delivered an address today at the United Nations. In his speech he quoted
Article 25 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights;
"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food and clothing and housing and medical care."
Interesting choice of topics, given the House of Representatives today was taking up the issue of expanding health insurance to cover an additional 4 million children in our nation. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, is a low cost insurance program that currently covers 6 million children. The compromise legislation moving through Congress this evening would raise that coverage to 10 million children. This expansion would cost 35 billion dollars, and it would be paid for by raising the cigarette tax by sixty-one cents. The Bush Administration has threatened to veto this expansion. So while President Bush was offering US support to developing nations to help with health care and the prevention of AIDS and malaria, his administration in Washington DC was trying to whip votes against the expansion of SCHIP. Hopefully the leadership in both parties will realize the importance of providing health care to all children and do the right thing by passing SCHIP.
Need more information:
President Bush's Address to the United Nations:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/09/20070925-4.html
More Facts About SCHIP from Easter Seals:
http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=OPA_SCHIP_facts
(Edit: Correct typo)
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