Obama Says No, But Health Plan Will Cover Illegals

President Barack Obama flatly declared that illegal aliens in the U.S. should not be entitled to taxpayer-supported healthcare.

On Tuesday, the day before he spoke to the nation about healthcare, Obama was asked by CBS News' Katie Couric if illegal immigrants should be covered under the healthcare reform plan, and Obama responded simply: "No."

But he said an exception could be made for children.

"The one exception that I think has to be discussed is how are we treating children," he told Couric.

"Partly because if you've got children who may be here illegally but are still in playgrounds or at schools, and potentially are passing on illnesses and communicable diseases, that aren't getting vaccinated, that I think is a situation where you may have to make an exception."

In any case, the healthcare reform legislation backed by Democrats specifically does not bar illegals from receiving healthcare.

On July 17, Democrats successfully defeated a Republican-backed amendment, offered by Rep. Dean Heller of Nevada, that would have prevented illegal aliens from receiving government-subsidized healthcare under the proposed plan backed by House Democrats and President Obama.

The House Ways and Means Committee nixed the Heller amendment by a 26-to-15 vote along straight party lines.

A significant portion of the more than 45 million uninsured people in the U.S. are illegal aliens.

[Editor's Note: See “Obama Health Plan to Cover 12 Million Illegals” Go here now.]