Action Alert from President John Shearer
Office Manager
Since 2001, Childrens Health Initiatives have been spreading,
county by county, across California. Each county has it's own plan for
reaching a goal of universal health care for children in their locale.
All of them, however, depend on the continuation of the federal SCHIP
program, as an integral component of funding. As you know, President
Bush has vetoed the bill passed by both houses of Congress, that
authorized continuation of the SCHIP program and expanded it to
include significantly more uninsured children. Not only does this veto
imperil the existing programs,it places a barrier to forming a
statewide plan for universal health care for ALL children in
California.
Congress is expected to vote on October 18 in an attempt to
override the President's veto. Sufficient votes are expected to
override in the Senate, but not in the House of Representatives. We
ask all CaPA members to write immediately to their representative in
the House, to tell them that it is imperative that they vote to
override the veto.
We are on the verge of universal health care for all children in
California. We must not let this opportunity slip away!
--John Shearer