In a victory for America's children, the U.S. Senate resoundingly joined the House on Aug. 2 in voting to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The federal-state partnership insures children whose parents work but can't afford health insurance.

Both political parties mustered support to expand the program—by $50 billion in the House and $35 billion in the Senate—compared with President Bush's suggestion to increase it by $5 billion, which actually would reduce the number of children covered because of rising healthcare costs. The Senate passed its bill by a thumping 68-31 majority, compared with a narrower margin for the House bill.

"Children have won a crucial victory today," said AFT president Edward J. McElroy in a statement, adding that proper healthcare for all students helps reduce their absences from school and increase their academic success.

The AFT is part of a coalition, the Campaign for Children's Health Care, whose 50-plus member organizations have been pushing for years to expand SCHIP from the 6.1 million children it now enrolls to the additional 9 million children who still don't have health insurance. AFT members joined in a rally last March on Capitol Hill where both Republican and Democratic members of Congress spoke in favor of expanding the 10-year-old program. The coalition also sponsored a petition drive and town hall meetings to help make children's healthcare a top national priority.

"Evidence and common sense tell us that healthy children are better learners," said AFT executive vice president Antonia Cortese.

In 2004 AFT convention delegates passed a resolution supporting the more ambitious House approach to SCHIP. The resolution calls for covering up to 99 percent of all American children, in part by expanding SCHIP. It opposes Bush's plans to starve the program. Both the House and Senate versions of the SCHIP legislation would be paid for by big tax increases on tobacco.

The SCHIP program expires on Sept. 30. Negotiators from each chamber of Congress will meet to work out a compromise bill, which then will go to President Bush for his signature. The president has threatened to veto it. [Annette Licitra]