In an inspiring display of bipartisan government, 12 Ohio members of the House of Representatives voted to insure 4 million more low-income children. The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act passed the house 265-159 with Representatives Hobson, Kaptur, LaTourette, Pryce, Regula, Ryan, Space, Sutton, Tubbs Jones, Turner, and Wilson voting in favor. These members deserve our thanks for standing up for Ohio’s children. Just click on the names and you will be linked to their contact page.

But the work is not done. The Senate will vote on the bill in the Thursday. Senator Brown supported the bill in its earlier version, but Senator Voinovich was opposed. We are hoping he will be able to support it the second time around.

All indications are that President Bush will use his veto pen for only the fourth time in his presidency to veto this bipartisan legislation for children. And then the fight goes back to the House. The House is 25 votes shy of having the necessary 290 to override a veto. Ohio has five members who voted against the compromise bill. If the president vetoes the bill, the focus will be on maintaining the six votes we picked up last night and urging Representatives Boehner, Chabot, Jordan, Kucinich, and Schmidt to reconsider their opposition. Representative Kucinich said he would not support the compromise bill because it does not include coverage for legal immigrant children.

But for now...on to the Senate!