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Martinez To Vote Against SCHIP

Posted Sep 26, 2007 by Billy House, Tribune Washington Bureau

Updated Sep 26, 2007 at 12:30 PM

Florida GOP Sen. Mel Martinez has just said on the U.S. Senate floor that he won’t vote for a bill to renew and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program that will come before the Senate as early as today.

Martinez said the $35 billion, five-year expansion would turn the health insurance program that traditionally targeted poor children into a “middle-class entitlement” and a step toward nationalizing health care.

The House passed the bill Monday night; President Bush has said he’ll veto it. Echoing the White House, Martinez said the bill helps children now covered by private health insurance. He said that will cause the program to outpace the money raised by the taxes the bill imposes.

“It won’t pay for itself and will force children to be dropped by 2013,” he said. “Money set aside for low-income children should be used for low-income children.” Martinez said.

Martinez said he supports the president’s plan for a more-modest $5 billion expansion.