http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7026454.stm
US President George W Bush has vetoed a bill to expand a children's health care insurance scheme, after it was passed with a large majority in the Senate.
Mr Bush argues it takes the programme beyond its original purpose of insuring children from low-income families.
The vetoed bill proposed higher tobacco taxes to provide an extra $35bn (£17bn) to insure some 10 million children.
Children's health insurance is set to be a campaign issue in next year's elections, analysts say.
Eighteen Republican senators joined Democrats last week in passing the legislation by a 67-29 vote.
But the House of Representatives, which approved the bill by 265-159, was well short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
It is only the fourth time Mr Bush has used his veto power in the course of his presidency.
Public support
The State Children's Health Insurance Programme (SCHIP) currently subsidises health care for some 6.6 million people, most of them children.
Mr Bush had said he wanted only a $5bn increase in funding for the scheme.
He argued that expanding its coverage further would encourage people currently covered in the private sector to switch to government coverage - and that was too costly.
His decision to veto the bill is likely to prove unpopular with many people, however, correspondents say.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll suggested that more than seven in 10 Americans supported the $35bn increase proposed in the bill.
Democrats in the House say they will seek to persuade sufficient Republican congressmen to change sides to be able to override Mr Bush's veto.
But House Republican leader Roy Blunt said he was "absolutely confident" that he would be able to prevent that happening.
Many Republicans are likely to feel the pressure of public opinion ahead of congressional elections in November next year.
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Bush is a heartless ASSTARD who needs to be in prison
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Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 4248
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