Freshman Sen. Kay Hagan voted for a bill to expand the health insurance program for children, but not before making a symbolic effort to reduce the size of the cigarette tax hike that pays for it.
The Senate vote Thursday night to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program to 11 million low-income children. The $32.8 billion expansion will be paid for by raising the federal cigarette tax from 39 cents per pack to $1 per pack.
Hagan, along with fellow tobacco-state Democrat Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, offered an amendment to raise the cigarette tax instead to just 76 cents per pack. But after offering the amendment, they withdrew it because it was clear that Senate Democratic leadership wanted the bill.
The measure passed by a 66-32 vote in the Senate in a largely party-line vote. North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr voted against it.
Hagan expressed dismay that the health insurance program was funded entirely with tobacco taxes, but ultimately voted for the measure.
"Less than a month into my service here in the U.S. Senate," Hagan told the Senate, "I'm faced with a situation in which the health of thousands of my state’s children are at odds with a key industry in North Carolina."
"But ultimately," Hagan said, "I had to vote on behalf of the 10 million low-income and disadvantaged children this bill helps."
The measure, which had earlier passed the House, now goes to the White House where President Obama is expected to sign it next week. President Bush had previously vetoed the bill.
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Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn
You have the choice between a Saturn and Hummer don't you? There's no freedom lost here. Decide whether you want to smoke or not. I am sympathetic to smokers and know it's hard to quit. And I also wish they would tax alcohol more because I believe it is more harmful than tobacco. But I have to pay a high insurance premium to make up for the hugely costly treatments for chronic emphysema, liver disease, and lung cancer. People who have to have this treatment cannot pay enough premium to make it worthwhile for insurance companies, so I, who am not a smoker and non-drinker have to make up the difference. Or worse yet the government picks up the tab with my tax money to pay for it for the non-insured. Is that fair? Probably Hagan did not make a politically popular decision, but she made a stand and will take responsibility for it. That is a welcome change.