SCHIP House Debate Underway

The House has begun to debate the State Children's Health Insurance Program expansion, with the vote whether to override Bush's veto expected to happen later today. (All the action at C-span.org [1].)

With the help [2] of the Bush Dog campaign [3], most of the conservative Democrats who had previously voted against the bill have agreed to help override the veto. [4] But we don't know yet if any more House Republicans will join the 45 that supported the bill last month.

The last poll taken before the vote, from CBS, finds the highest degree of support yet for expanding SCHIP: 81%. [5] That includes "large majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents."

And CNN's poll, which finds smaller yet still strong support at 61%, notes that nearly half of conservative voters (43%) want the veto overriden. [6]

House conservatives have a choice, heed the people's will and stand with our kids, or engage in more obstruction and stand with one of the most unpopular presidents in history. [7]

We'll see that choice later today.