The House is scheduled for a veto override vote for Thursday, October 18, on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. While the Senate provided a veto-proof vote, the House was just 25 votes shy of a guaranteed override. States like Texas, California and Florida had the largest group of Members who voted no, and yet are the three states with the largest numbers of uninsured children in the country with 1,410,000, 1,370,000 and 658,000 respectively.
There are two things you can do to make this last push count:
1. You can send a letter to the editor to be printed in your local newspaper. Putting your name in print in conjunction with the League of Women Voters’ name can be an effective tool in advocacy. You can use the following sample in your writing:
The League of Women Voters of Northfield calls on John Kline to support the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP). He has the chance to protect health care for poor children by voting to override the President’s veto of this crucial program.
Since 1997, SCHIP has made great strides in providing health care for thousands of low-income children. As a direct result of the program, the percentage of low-income children in the United States without health coverage has fallen by one-third in the past decade even as employer-based coverage has decreased. Yet, despite the overwhelming bipartisan passage of the bill by both the Senate and the House, the President chose to veto the bill.
The League of Women Voters of Northfield urges John Kline to do the right thing for our nation’s poorest kids, and vote to override the President’s veto.
Your Name
Your League Title
Your League’s Name
City, State
2. Contact your local members and advocates and ask them to call their Member of Congress. Calls may be made through the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-225-3121 or 202-224-3121 . Ask for your Member’s office and tell them to vote yes on the veto override of SCHIP. You can use the following talking points to help with your calls:
· As a direct result of SCHIP the percentage of low-income children in the United States without health coverage has fallen by one-third in the past decade even as employer-based coverage has decreased.
· In the last decade, SCHIP has provided health care coverage to six million low-income children. But nine million still go uninsured. This is far too big a number, and more needs to be done.
· Children, particularly those in low-income families, deserve our help. SCHIP will play a key role in promoting the health, well being and full development of our next generation of Americans.
BACKGROUND
Learn more about what the League has done to support the reauthorization of the SCHIP.
For additional information, please contact LWVUS Grassroots Lobbyist Christina Vamvas at lobbying@lwv.org .
League of Women Voters
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036
202-429-1965 www.lwv.org lwv@lwv.org
