Congress may be on the verge of increasing tobacco taxes to expand the federal SCHIP health care program so that it covers not only low-income households but also, potentially, households making up to $83,000 per year. Cigarette taxes would rise 61 cents to $1, while taxes on premium cigars would go up from 5 cents to as much as $10. Bush has threatened to veto the expansion as too costly, but since the Senate voted for the bill by a 68-to-31 margin, it is possible that the Congress will pass it over his veto.
