U.S. President Barack Obama signed a bill extending health coverage to four million uninsured children into law on Wednesday night.
Obama called the legislation the first step toward fulfilling a campaign pledge to provide health insurance for all Americans.
"I refuse to accept that millions of our children fail to reach their full potential because we fail to meet their basic needs," Obama said. "In a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to trade-offs or negotiations, and health care for our children is one of those obligations."
The children's health bill calls for spending an additional $32.8 billion on the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which now enrolls an estimated seven million children. Legislators generated that revenue by raising the federal tobacco tax.
The insurance program was created more than a decade ago to help children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, the U.S. health-care program for low-wage earners, but too low to afford private coverage.
Federal money for the program was set to expire March 31, barring action by Congress. To cover the increase in spending, the statute boosts the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes by 62 cents, to $1.01 a pack.
Obama used an ebullient White House signing ceremony on Wednesday to continue his push for his plan that would provide universal health insurance.
"As I think everybody here will agree, this is only the first step," Obama said. "Because the way I see it, providing coverage to 11 million children through CHIP is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American."
Health officials estimate there are about eight million to nine million uninsured children in the United States.
Bush twice vetoed similar bills
The bill's passage has long been a top priority of Democrats.
In late 2007, then president George W. Bush twice vetoed similar bills. The Senate passed the same bill last week.
Obama made it a top priority in his first 100 days and one step in his push for universal coverage by the end of his first term.
The bill went to the White House fresh from passage in the Democratic-controlled House, on a vote of 290-135. Forty Republicans joined in approval.
Most Republicans, though, criticized the cost of the legislation. They also said it will mean an estimated 2.4 million children who otherwise would have access to private insurance will join the government insurance program instead.
Opponents also said the tobacco tax increase hits poor people the hardest because they are more likely to smoke than wealthier people.
Obama called the legislation the first step toward fulfilling a campaign pledge to provide health insurance for all Americans.
"I refuse to accept that millions of our children fail to reach their full potential because we fail to meet their basic needs," Obama said. "In a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to trade-offs or negotiations, and health care for our children is one of those obligations."
The children's health bill calls for spending an additional $32.8 billion on the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which now enrolls an estimated seven million children. Legislators generated that revenue by raising the federal tobacco tax.
The insurance program was created more than a decade ago to help children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, the U.S. health-care program for low-wage earners, but too low to afford private coverage.
Federal money for the program was set to expire March 31, barring action by Congress. To cover the increase in spending, the statute boosts the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes by 62 cents, to $1.01 a pack.
Obama used an ebullient White House signing ceremony on Wednesday to continue his push for his plan that would provide universal health insurance.
"As I think everybody here will agree, this is only the first step," Obama said. "Because the way I see it, providing coverage to 11 million children through CHIP is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American."
Health officials estimate there are about eight million to nine million uninsured children in the United States.
Bush twice vetoed similar bills
The bill's passage has long been a top priority of Democrats.
In late 2007, then president George W. Bush twice vetoed similar bills. The Senate passed the same bill last week.
Obama made it a top priority in his first 100 days and one step in his push for universal coverage by the end of his first term.
The bill went to the White House fresh from passage in the Democratic-controlled House, on a vote of 290-135. Forty Republicans joined in approval.
Most Republicans, though, criticized the cost of the legislation. They also said it will mean an estimated 2.4 million children who otherwise would have access to private insurance will join the government insurance program instead.
Opponents also said the tobacco tax increase hits poor people the hardest because they are more likely to smoke than wealthier people.
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