WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time in three months, the House failed Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of a bill that would greatly increase spending on a popular children's health insurance program.
Democratic leaders fell 15 votes shy of obtaining the two-thirds majority needed for an override. The final vote was 260-152, with 42 Republicans siding with Democrats.

The result was expected, even as supporters of an override turned to the slowing economy as another reason to spend an additional $35 billion on the State Children's Health Insurance Program over the next five years.

"Hardworking American families are struggling and in dire need of assistance," said Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.

But Republicans held strong in their opposition to the spending increase. They said Congress had already set aside sufficient funding to ensure that the SCHIP program would continue through March 2009 for those currently enrolled. They criticized Democrats for delaying an override vote to coincide more closely with next week's State of the Union address from President Bush.

"I think it's important to highlight that this is simply a political exercise," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said that the House would continue to focus on the program during the coming election year.

"This won't be your last opportunity this year to address this issue," Hoyer told lawmakers during the debate.

The legislation that Bush vetoed would have increased enrollment in the children's health program from 6 million to 10 million over the coming five years. The revenue needed for that enrollment increase would come from a 61-cent increase in the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes, as well as comparable tax increases on other tobacco products.

In December, Bush for a second time vetoed a bill that would more than double spending on SCHIP. Bush said the bill would encourage too many families to replace private insurance with government-subsidized health coverage.

The president vetoed a similar bill in October. Democratic leaders then fell 13 votes short in their attempt to override that particular veto.

The children's health program serves families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance.

Several Democrats cited the economy in arguing for the override, which was a new tact from the previous SCHIP debates.

"The issue comes down to what is happening in America's households today. Unemployment is up, housing starts are down. The price of gasoline and food and health care is up, the stock market is down," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said.

Pelosi said those indicators required Congress to take a new direction.

Some Republicans said expanding SCHIP was not an economic stimulus.

"We don't want to squander money to pay for health insurance for those who can afford it themselves," said Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga.

Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, said Republicans wanted to save money on SCHIP to pay for an economic stimulus, but didn't have a similar rule for spending on Iraq.

"It's amazing how frugal they are when they want to be," Green said.

Both sides said they were willing to sit down after the vote in an effort to reach a compromise. Republicans contend that the current bill does not go far enough to prevent adults and illegal immigrants from getting health coverage through government programs.

But Democrats said such claims were greatly exaggerated. The bill maintains a prohibition on illegal immigrants participating in SCHIP.

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