President Bush has followed through on a promise to veto a bill expanding healthcare to millions of low-income American children. On Wednesday, Bush quietly issued the fourth veto of his presidency on a measure expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as S-CHIP. The bill would have spent $35 billion over five years, funded by a tax increase on cigarettes. The White House said it would only accept an increase of $5 billion. White House spokesperson Dana Perino tried to portray the move as a way to protect low-income Americans. She said: “In a time when [Democrats] think that they want to increase funding for children’s health care, they’re actually wanting to pay for it with a cigarette tax. … People who smoke are usually … in the low-income bracket. And so they’re raising taxes on something to pay for a middle-class entitlement. It’s just completely irresponsible. Stop the madness on Capitol Hill.” Democrats were scathing in their criticism.

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA): “Mr. President, I think that this is probably the most inexplicable veto in the history of the country. It is incomprehensible. It’s intolerable. It’s unacceptable.”

There is enough support to override the veto in the Senate but not in the House. Democrats say they’ll put off a new House vote until later this month to try to win the 20 extra votes they need.