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Bush Veto of Children's Health Bill a Defeat for Kids, Public Health

October 3, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- October 3, 2007 -- "The President today sided with the tobacco industry instead of America’s children with his veto of the bipartisan bill to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The President's action strikes a blow against efforts to provide health insurance to low-income children and to save lives through an increase in the federal cigarette tax.

"The SCHIP bill passed both houses of Congress last week with strong bipartisan majorities. We strongly urge lawmakers to do what's right for public health — not what’s most advantageous for the tobacco industry — by overriding this veto.

"The bill would expand the number of children covered by SCHIP by raising the federal cigarette tax by 61 cents, an increase that would reduce youth smoking by an estimated seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by four percent. A 61-cent increase in the cigarette tax would prevent 900,000 premature deaths from smoking and save 1.9 million children from becoming lifelong tobacco users. Tobacco kills more than 440,000 Americans each year.

"More than 500 cancer patients, survivors and caregivers from every state met with their members of Congress on Capitol Hill last week to push for passage of the SCHIP bill. In addition, ACS CAN has run advertisements in the Washington Post and in Capitol Hill publications urging Congress and the President to choose the interests of kids over those of the tobacco industry. An ad in Capitol Hill publications tomorrow will urge Congress to override the President’s veto."

ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society, which is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Steven Weiss
Phone: (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected]

Kat Porter
Phone: (202) 585-3202
Email: [email protected]

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