Letter to the Editor

State Children's Health Insurance Program

Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to your coverage of the President's veto of
important children's health legislation. It is unacceptable that 9 million
children in our country do not have health coverage. Covering kids is a
smart investment - it saves money and helps kids do better in school. I
applaud Congress for their vote last week to cover 3.8 million uninsured
children, however I am extremely disappointed in the president's decision
to veto the bill. This bill would enable millions of American children who
would otherwise be uninsured to get the coverage they need for a healthy
start in life. The State Children's Health Insurance Program is a
bipartisan plan to renew and strengthen children's health coverage, and I
am discouraged that the president is not making the health of our nation's
children a principal concern.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program has been a real bipartisan
success story-- it has helped cut the number of uninsured children by 1/3
over the past 10 years. Our members of Congress will have another chance to vote on the needs of our kids in a veto-override vote set to take place he week of October 16. I hope they will make the well-being of children their top priority, and improve children's health by supporting this historic bipartisan agreement. Families here locally are watching these actions in Washington, and we should remember which politicians stood with our children to move forward with health coverage.

Sincerely,
Richard O. Stevenson
Hinsdale, NY