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Parents Protest Insurance Veto

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By BILLY HOUSE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 16, 2007

WASHINGTON - A St. Petersburg toddler whose parents say would not be alive today if not for government-financed health care is being featured in lobbying efforts to persuade Congress to override the president's veto of a children's health insurance program bill.

Bethany Wilkerson, 2, is scheduled to arrive in Washington with her parents today and will appear at a 'Save Children's Health Care' vigil near the U.S. Capitol this evening, during which her parents are expected to address those gathered.

On Wednesday, Bethany is to meet Speaker Nancy Pelosi and visit other lawmakers in advance of the U.S. House's expected vote Thursday on overriding President Bush's veto of the renewal and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Bethany then is scheduled to be in attendance - in the public gallery overlooking of the U.S. House - as lawmakers cast their votes on the override.

Already, Bethany's story is featured in fliers and a video circulating in which she holds a sign saying 'Don't Veto Me!'

'This is personal not only to us ... but for millions of parents across the United States,' said Bethany's mother, Dara, in a telephone call Monday with reporters about why she and her husband, Bo, are allowing such a focus on their daughter.

Dara Wilkerson said Bethany had to have heart surgery in 2005 when she was 6 months old, after doctors told them she had been born with two holes in her heart and a valve that didn't close as it should.

The Wilkersons said their annual household income is about $34,000 from their jobs, and they cannot afford private insurance.

But even if they could, Bethany's 'pre-existing condition' - the heart problem she was born with - made enrollment in a private plan impossible, her mother said. Thanks to Florida's version of SCHIP, the state KidCare program, she said Bethany gets the care she needs to recover from her lifesaving surgery.

Supporters of SCHIP expansion have been pulling out all the stops to persuade enough lawmakers to vote to override Bush's veto.

The bill passed by both the House and Senate but rejected by Bush would have added $35 billion to the program over five years, nearly doubling the number of children eligible for the government subsidized health care to about 10 million.

But Bush says it would inappropriately expand the program beyond helping poor children.

It remains doubtful the bill's supporters have enough votes to succeed at overriding Bush's Oct. 3 veto.

Late Monday afternoon, Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, one of eight Democrats who voted against the bill, said she would support the override. But along with some Democratic votes, supporters need to pick up at least 15 Republican votes. House Republican leaders say they remain confident they can uphold Bush's veto.

But supporters of the SCHIP bill - including a coalition that includes USAction, TrueMajority Action, MoveOn.org Political Action, Americans United for Change and Catholics United - hope to turn up the heat.

Among the lawmakers Bethany and her parents intend to visit are GOP Reps. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor and Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville. Their spokesmen said neither intends to support the override effort.

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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