States Sue White House

Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Washington, and New Jersey are suing President George W. Bush over the rules that make it harder for states to expand their Children"s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIPs).

 “The Bush administration has gone beyond its regulatory rights. We frankly don"t understand the administration"s position,” said New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine to announce the lawsuit.

President Bush and the White House have long argued that the expansion of SCHIP is a step toward government-run health care. But proponents of SCHIP, like Governor Corzine, counter that the program has been hugely successful, providing insurance coverage for 6.6 million children.

We"ll see what happens as the SCHIP showdown between Congress, states, and the White House continues.