Bush Administration Breaks Federal Law, Again
The Bush administration violated federal law again.
According to the NYTimes, "The Bush administration violated federal law last year when it restricted states’ ability to provide health insurance to children of middle-income families, and its new policy is therefore unenforceable, lawyers from the Government Accountability Office said Friday.
"The ruling strengthens the hand of at least 22 states, including New York and New Jersey, that already provide such coverage or want to do so. And it significantly reduces the chance that the new policy can be put into effect before President Bush leaves office in nine months.
"At issue is the future of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, financed jointly by the federal government and the states. Congress last year twice passed bills to expand the popular program, and Mr. Bush vetoed both.
"State officials of both parties say the policy, set forth in a letter to state health officials on Aug. 17, has stymied their efforts to cover more children at a time when the number of uninsured is rising and more families are experiencing economic hardship.
"In a formal legal opinion Friday, the accountability office said the new policy 'amounts to a marked departure' from a longstanding, settled interpretation of federal law. It is therefore a rule and, under a 1996 law, must be submitted to Congress for review before it can take effect, the opinion said.
"The 1996 law, the Congressional Review Act, was enacted to keep Congress informed about the rule-making activities of federal agencies. If Congress objects to a new rule, it can pass “a joint resolution of disapproval,” which the president can sign or veto."
Of course, Bush's anti-Constitution, anti-rule of law, Justice Department led by Bush protector and loyalist, the hell with the American people, AG Michael Mukasey differs.
As the article continues, "The administration told states they must comply with the directive by August of this year or else they face “corrective action.” Compliance could mean cutting back programs.
"The Justice Department contends that the letter is 'merely a general statement of policy with nonbinding effect,' But Gary L. Kepplinger, general counsel of the accountability office, said administration officials had treated it as a "binding rule.”
Bush has said to those American children whose struggling families cannot afford health care: drop dead.
We've had to endure two terms of this criminal Bush administration.
And impeachment is still off the table.
According to the NYTimes, "The Bush administration violated federal law last year when it restricted states’ ability to provide health insurance to children of middle-income families, and its new policy is therefore unenforceable, lawyers from the Government Accountability Office said Friday.
"The ruling strengthens the hand of at least 22 states, including New York and New Jersey, that already provide such coverage or want to do so. And it significantly reduces the chance that the new policy can be put into effect before President Bush leaves office in nine months.
"At issue is the future of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, financed jointly by the federal government and the states. Congress last year twice passed bills to expand the popular program, and Mr. Bush vetoed both.
"State officials of both parties say the policy, set forth in a letter to state health officials on Aug. 17, has stymied their efforts to cover more children at a time when the number of uninsured is rising and more families are experiencing economic hardship.
"In a formal legal opinion Friday, the accountability office said the new policy 'amounts to a marked departure' from a longstanding, settled interpretation of federal law. It is therefore a rule and, under a 1996 law, must be submitted to Congress for review before it can take effect, the opinion said.
"The 1996 law, the Congressional Review Act, was enacted to keep Congress informed about the rule-making activities of federal agencies. If Congress objects to a new rule, it can pass “a joint resolution of disapproval,” which the president can sign or veto."
Of course, Bush's anti-Constitution, anti-rule of law, Justice Department led by Bush protector and loyalist, the hell with the American people, AG Michael Mukasey differs.
As the article continues, "The administration told states they must comply with the directive by August of this year or else they face “corrective action.” Compliance could mean cutting back programs.
"The Justice Department contends that the letter is 'merely a general statement of policy with nonbinding effect,' But Gary L. Kepplinger, general counsel of the accountability office, said administration officials had treated it as a "binding rule.”
Bush has said to those American children whose struggling families cannot afford health care: drop dead.
We've had to endure two terms of this criminal Bush administration.
And impeachment is still off the table.
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