Congress to send children's health bill to Bush

Congress to send children's health bill to Bush
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After waiting a month, Democraticleaders in Congress said on Friday they would formally send abill expanding a popular children's health-care program to theWhite House despite a veto threat.
The bill would provide health insurance to about 10 millionchildren in low-income families unable to afford privateinsurance but who earn too much to qualify for the federalMedicaid program for the poor. It would raise taxes oncigarettes and other tobacco taxes to pay for the aid.
President Bush vetoed an earlier version of the bill. Thelatest bill passed by a large margin in the House but not bythe two-thirds majority that would indicate a veto would beoverridden.
"Our bipartisan negotiations on extending health insuranceto 10 million children are ongoing," House Majority LeaderSteny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said in a statement.
Hoyer said leaders wanted to avoid a "pocket veto," inwhich a bill dies from inaction by the president while Congressis out of session.
Congress is scheduled to convene next week for the finalthree weeks of this year's session. The health-care bill waspassed at the end of October,
(Reporting by Charles Abbott; Editing by Peter Cooney)