"A national advertising campaign has been launched attacking U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, R-5th, and a dozen other congressmen who voted against a bill expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for five years.

Catholics United, an organization that describes itself as “a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting the message of justice and the common good found at the heart of the Catholic Social Tradition,” created the radio ads, which claim Goode cannot call himself pro-life and pro-family if he votes against the bill.

“Building a true culture of life required public policies that promote the welfare of the most vulnerable,” Chris Dorzen, executive director of Catholics United, said in a news release. “At the heart of the Christian faith is a deep and abiding concern for the needs of others. Pro-life Christians who serve in Congress should honor this commitment by supporting health care for all children.”

The bill was originally designed to provide insurance for children of low-income families who were not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid; those families were allowed to make up to $41,000 per year.

President George W. Bush vetoed the bill, and the House failed to get a two-third majority Oct. 18 to override that veto, with a vote of 273 for the veto and 156 against.

“I’m opposed to the child health bill,” Goode said Monday.

The congressman said the bill had several problems:
· It raised the family income level from $41,000 to $61,000;
· Calls for a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax, taking it from 39 cents to $1 per pack, to fund the program;
· Costs too much (it would cost $60 billion over five years, up from $35 billion at current levels);
· And reduces the citizenship requirement, making it simpler for illegal immigrants to obtain the insurance at taxpayer expense.

“I had to produce a birth certificate for my child to attend Franklin (County) public schools,” Goode said. “(This bill) does not have birth certificate requirements or naturalization papers (required to sign up for the insurance). I’m getting more calls and e-mails against (the bill), than for it.”" (Denice Thibodeau, Danville Register &Bee, November 12, 2007)