The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a revised version of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill, but the measure once again fell short of the votes needed to override an expected presidential veto.

CNN reported Oct. 25 that the SCHIP bill passed 265-142, still short of the 290 votes needed for a veto override. The measure included some concessions to Republican concerns about the bill, including tighter income-based caps on eligibility. But it still retained the original bill's $35-billion price tag and a funding mechanism based on a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal tobacco tax.

"Of course, we would have liked to have had the 290 votes," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). "But we knew once the excuses started flying, that would not happen."

Some GOP lawmakers complained that the vote took place when many House members from southern California were back in their home districts because of the wildfires devastating the region. President Bush reiterated his pledge to veto the measure again.

"This bill does not address in a meaningful way the concerns the president raised, and so he will veto it if it reaches his desk," the White House said in a statement.

"It may a be a good pig. It may be a nice pig. It might be intended to be the right kind of pig," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, referring to the SCHIP bill. "But it's still a pig."

Only one House member -- a Democrat -- switched sides to support the latest version of the SCHIP bill, and one Republican who supported the original bill voted against the revised measure.