Democrats unveil new bill to help needy children

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2435217520071025

Democrats unveil new bill to help needy children
Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:30pm EDT

By Thomas Ferraro


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday unveiled a revised bill to expand health insurance for needy children, hopeful they will muster enough support to override another possible veto by President George W. Bush.


Drafted with input from some Republicans, the bill was set for a vote Thursday by the Democratic House, and would then be sent to the Democratic-led Senate for anticipated concurrence.


"This is about taking care of our children," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, flanked by fellow House Democratic leaders, told reporters. "We hope to get a big enough vote to make this truly the 'Children's Congress.'"


Like the measure vetoed by Bush last week, the new one would increase the number of children from low-income and middle-income families covered by the State Children's Health Insurance Program to 10 million from the current 6.6 million.