WASHINGTON D.C. – Sen. John Kerry issued the following statement today, following President Bush’s veto of legislation that reauthorizes and extends the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The legislation passed the House and Senate by a broad bi-partisan majority, and Kerry pushed aggressively for additional SCHIP funds during the Senate Finance Committee’s development of the plan, and vowed to work hard to overturn the veto.

“Today with a single stroke of his veto pen, President Bush single-handedly jeopardized health care for millions of poor children,” Kerry said. “The President’s twisted rationale that he opposes ‘federalizing’ health care is a hollow excuse for undermining a successful effort to give Governors the control and the tools to deliver health care for kids who desperately need it. President Bush conveniently forgot that he ran for reelection with a promise to give health care to millions more children and now as a lame duck president he is working to take it away. It seems George Bush was for kids’ health care before he was against it. An overwhelming majority in Congress will fight to keep our promises to America’s children, and we will work to override this cynical, callous veto.”