TOBACCO TAX KEY TO HEALTH CARE DISPUTE
Tobacco, Kentucky's leading legal cash crop, is at the center of
debate over expanding the state children's health insurance
program.
President Bush, citing concerns over funding a $35 billion
expansion of the health program through a 61-cent-per-pack tax
increase on cigarettes, vetoed the measure yesterday.
Republicans in Kentucky's congressional delegation expressed
similar concerns when they voted against the bill last week.
"The tobacco tax funding mechanism is an irresponsible way to
pay for children's health care," Sen. Jim Bunning said after the
67-29 Senate vote to pass the measure last week. . . .
Bunning, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and all four
Republican congressmen from Kentucky voted against expanding the
children's health program. Democrats Ben Chandler, who represents
the Lexington area, and John Yarmuth, who represents Louisville,
voted in favor of the expansion and the proposed cigarette tax
increase.
