With a bipartisan 68-31 vote, the Senate approved a plan to raise federal tobacco taxes to help pay for a $35-billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Reuters reported Aug. 3.

The Senate defied a veto threat from President Bush and passed the bill, a more modest version of legislation approved by a narrower vote in the House of Representatives this week. The House is proposing to spend an additional $50 billion on SCHIP. Bush said he would veto either version of the bill, casting the plans as socialized medicine.

Senate lawmakers said that their plan would provide health insurance for 3.2 million more poor children. "For the life of me I can't understand why the president would want to veto this legislation," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) "It is moderate. It is bipartisan. It helps low-income kids. ... It's just the right thing to do."

The Senate bill proposes raising federal tobacco taxes by 61 cents per pack to support the SCHIP expansion; the House plan includes a 45-cent-per-pack tax increase.