By Fawn Johnson, CongressDaily
© National Journal Group Inc.
Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007

The House's 265-159 vote Tuesday to add $35 billion to the State Children's Health Insurance Program -- short of a veto-proof margin -- ensures that lawmakers will confront the issue again before Congress adjourns this year if President Bush follows through on his promise to veto the measure.

	Minority Whip Roy Blunt insisted before the vote that his main focus is sustaining a presidential veto, adding that he would not hold moderates' feet to the fire on a tough vote.

Republicans took a hit from their moderates, losing 41 of them, in addition to the four that crossed party lines to vote for the broader House bill in July.

Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., insisted before the vote that his main focus is sustaining a presidential veto, adding that he would not hold moderates' feet to the fire on a tough vote. "As long as there are enough Republicans to sustain that veto, that's what matters," he said.

On the Democratic side of the aisle, several members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who voted for a broader SCHIP expansion in July, threatened to change their votes on the smaller bill in protest over a provision dropped from the House bill that would have given benefits to legal immigrants. In the end, the entire CHC voted for the bill, but only after several members first logged "present" votes or "no" votes.

Reps. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, and Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., also voted against the rule on the bill before voting for final passage.

Of the eight Democrats voting against the measure, only Reps. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and Kathy Castor, D-Fla., had voted for the larger House bill.

An aide to a CHC member said the Hispanic Caucus is upset because lawmakers feel their priorities were being ignored, first on an immigration bill, and now on a small change to how government health benefits are offered.

Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., chairman of the caucus, said Hispanic leaders have to stand by their constituents, many of whom would be shut out of benefits without the immigration provision.

"From our point, they have to know that we're with them, that we're trying to address the problem and that we're not just going to let it slip by," he said.

Baca said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has promised to address the issue.

That might not be enough. "The blame, in my opinion, goes to Senate Republicans," said Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., noting that Senate Finance ranking member Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, considers the legal immigration question a deal-breaker.

The Senate is expected to pass the same bill this week, which should be followed by a White House veto.

The next opportunity for lawmakers to face off against the president is a veto override effort, which House Republicans expect to halt. Republicans are calling for more negotiation, but it is unlikely either side will budge.

"That's the whole point of sustaining the veto, to get us a seat in the room," said House Ways and Means ranking member Jim McCrery, R-La.

House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said he thinks Democrats have gone as far as they can go in accepting the $35 billion Senate figure.

"We had to negotiate with Senate Republicans, and they're theoretically the best hurdle to reach," he said. "This is already a major compromise."

Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., said he would be willing to expand SCHIP beyond the $5 billion in new funds the White House wants.

"I don't speak for anybody except to say that I was working with some others at the $15 billion level," Lott said. "My recommendation for those that may be in bargaining negotiations, and I may be, is to go up more than the president wants. But certainly, we can't go to [$35 billion]," he said.

"If the Democrats would give us a seat at the table, then we can discuss whether $5 billion is an appropriate number or $35 billion or $15 billion or whatever. Unlike Trent, I'm not going to start negotiating with myself," McCrery responded.

So far, Democrats will go no farther than asking Bush to rethink his veto threat. "We're not talking about the veto at this stage. We're talking about passing a bill," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "The president is going to be in a very, very difficult situation."

Even if they were in negotiating mode, Democrats would have to sacrifice a great deal to win over House Republicans. Ways and Means Health Subcommittee ranking member Dave Camp, R-Mich., said several provisions in the bill would have to be rewritten before Republicans even considered going above $5 billion in new money.

"It's not just about the money, it's how they get there," he said, pointing as an example to the assumption that the program will steeply decrease in funding after 2012.