Obama views children's health bill as step one

President Barack Obama would expand government health insurance to millions of lower income children as a first step to getting more people to come in to provide coverage for all Americans. Ending a two-year effort by the Democrats, Obama signed legislation Wednesday that would give about 7 million children to continue coverage through the State Children's Health Insurance Program and provide additional 4 million to sign up. "As I see it, give coverage to 11 million children through the Chip is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American," Obama said at a White House bill-signing ceremony.

The goal was similar to two bills earlier veto by President George W. Bush. It was pushed through both the House and Senate, Democrats want to give Obama an early victory for health care. Most lawmakers and advocacy workshops in the health reform debate acknowledges that the next step towards reform would be more difficult than to expand schip because of rising federal deficit.

Obama acknowledged that it is difficult to reform health care Wednesday's bill-signing ceremony "It will not be easy, it will not happen at once," the president said. But this bill that I am on my way to sign, it was not easy either. "Since August 2007, Parliament has voted seven times to expand children's health insurance program. Opposition from Bush helped stiffen Republican resolve and helped block passage of measures.

During the final debate Wednesday before the bill passed the House, 290-135, Republicans criticized the cost of the measure. They also criticize the program provides an estimated 2.4 million children who would otherwise have access to private insurance companies. "This debate is that we want a child health insurance that covers all children in America with state and federal U.S. dollars, regardless of their ability to pay?" said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. "Do we want to freeze in the private sector for health insurance?"

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