Today, the House of Representatives voted whether or not to override President Bush's (second) veto of the reauthorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  And, yet again, Congress was unable to muster the two-thirds majority necessary to provide 10 million children with affordable, accessible health care.  This bill would have created a $35 billion increase in funding for this essential program, which serves families whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to allow them to purchase private health insurance plans.  The failure to override the veto was disheartening, disappointing, unconscionable, and not at all surprising. 

Since the day that I learned I would be the Health Care Legislative Assistant at the RAC, I've been elbow-deep in the fight to pass a comprehensive SCHIP reauthorization bill-- using action alerts, press releases, phone calls, and lobby visits. 

At the beginning, it seemed like a no-brainer-of course Congress will pass and the President will sign a bill that gives 10 million children health care! (Did I mention that I was politically naïve when I took this job?)

But, as time progressed, I realized the enactment of this bill was not at all a given and I became part of a nationwide effort to mobilize public opinion and put pressure on Congress and the White House.  We hoped to change minds (and votes) to get this bill passed.  While public opinion certainly leaned in our direction, Congress would not be swayed and we saw SCHIP proposed, passed, vetoed, and our hopes dashed twice over the past 6 months.

The uphill battle for SCHIP reauthorization has been my introduction to partisan politics and the many roadblocks that can prevent progress.

For months, the Democrats and Republicans have been debating about provisions that seem to be minutia, but are largely reflections of the long-standing, philosophical question of the appropriate role of government in our society.  This SCHIP fight has displayed fundamental differences between the political parties, with the Republicans strongly advocating individual autonomy and the Democrats championing communal responsibility.

And, in the end, we are left with a reauthorization of the SCHIP program sans expansion.  Six million children remain covered by SCHIP, but we make no progress toward covering more of this country's 9 million uninsured children.  A severe disappointment and, in my opinion, a moral failing on the part of our country.

But, a good lesson for me to learn: progress in politics happens very slowly.  And more often than not, morality is not the prevailing factor in political decisions.  More accurately, morality is complicated by the desires and goals of battling political parties.  I've tried hard not to let the SCHIP experience destroy my faith in the political process or my optimism about the potential for change, but I admit that this has been a challenge.