There's a fight on in Washington over the State Children's Health Insurance Bill that readers might want to think about weighing in on. (The White House E-mail address: comments@whitehouse.gov)

My first thoughts in reading about the bill ... its benefits and its costs ... run toward an issue near and dear to many hearts here. It's not only children in general and their necessary health care I'm thinking of -- vital, no doubt, as it's far beyond the time in America when any child should suffer for lack of sufficient heath care -- but how much potential difference the peace of mind an assurance of access to proper medical might make to women in the midst of a crisis pregnancy or parents succumbing to pressures of low-income and hopelessness might provide.

How much a difference in the numbers of relinquished children or kids going into foster care could be impacted by adequate health care may never be known, but it seems a no-brainer to assume that it could be great.

A bill to expand the government program that provides healthcare to six million children who don't qualify for Medicaid, but whose families can't afford insurance has broad bipartisan support, but ... and this is a big but ... it would be funded by money raised from a hike in taxes on cigarettes. Given the power of the tobacco lobby, it is likely to be vetoed by the White House.

The Bush administration said as much yesterday.

While the White House is okay with a boost of $5 billion going to increasing the budget, the Senate legislation proposes $35 billion be added to the State Children's Health Insurance Program ... a huge difference in what is to be possible for millions of American kids.

A White House spokesman is quoted as saying, “It’s clear that it will have the effect of encouraging many to drop private coverage — purchased either through their employer or with their own resources — to go on the government-subsidized program. Tax increases are neither necessary nor advisable to appropriately fund SCHIP.”

Senators Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, have called for the president to back off threats of a veto.

A letter signed by 22 Democratic governors, plus statements from bipartisan groups of governors are all demanding Congress enact legislation to cover kids' health as soon as possible.

"Together," the governors wrote, "the federal government and the states can substantially increase health coverage for America's children."

A list of the governors can be found here.