By PRNewswire-USNewswire:

The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), led by President and Trenton, NJ Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, today expressed disappointment at the failure of Congress to override President Bush's veto of reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program known as SCHIP.

Had the program been approved, it would have provided insurance protection to more than 10 million low-income children by extending the original program by an additional 3.8 million children.

"This is not just a political failure. This is a moral failure from the highest levels of government impacting children all across this country," said Mayor Palmer. "The decision of a few legislators has undermined a bipartisan effort of both the House and the Senate to provide critical help to children who don't have health insurance. This is unacceptable. Just a few weeks of funding for the war in Iraq could cover the cost of healthcare for millions of children in our country," Palmer added.