Democrat Says President Bush Amused by 'Heads Blown Off'

(CNSNews.com) - Before the House voted to sustain President Bush's veto of the SCHIP expansion bill, one Democrat blasted the Bush administration's priorities in a way that offended many of his Republican colleagues.

"You don't have money to fund the war or children," said Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) in remarks on the House floor Thursday. "But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people, if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement."

House Republican Leader John Boehner said Stark should retract the statement and apologize to U.S. troops and their families.

"Congressman Stark's statement dishonors not only the Commander-in-Chief, but the thousands of courageous men and women of America's armed forces who believe in their mission and are putting their lives on the line for our freedom and security," Boehner said in a news release.

The National Republican Congressional Committee also weighed in on what it called Stark's "outrageous and delusional tantrum" on the House floor.

"California Congressman Pete Stark trampled on the sacrifice of our troops fighting on the frontlines while simultaneously questioning the motivations of the Commander-in-Chief in wartime," the NRCC said.

The group also urged Stark to apologize -- not only to the American people and U.S. troops, but also to "the millions of children being held political hostage" by Democrats' "desperate attempt to score a political victory instead of providing healthcare for those who need it most," the NRCC said on its Web site.