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WASHINGTON — Backers of a bill to expand government subsidies for children's health insurance are mounting efforts to persuade Congress to override its veto today by President Bush.

In Albuquerque, pediatric residents held a "Stand Up for Kids" event at Summit Park on Tuesday to show their support for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, commonly known as SCHIP.

Benjamin Hoffman, a spokesman for the physicians, said similar rallies were held Tuesday in 34 other cities in anticipation of today's veto.

"We're just so angry," Hoffman said. "It is ridiculous that access to children's health care is in jeopardy like this."

The White House announced the veto, which was done in private, about 8 a.m. MST. It was the fourth veto of his presidency.

Speaking afterward in Lancaster, Pa., Bush said Congress should focus on covering poor children, most of whom are covered by Medicaid, rather than expanding SCHIP beyond its original intent.

"The intent of the program was to focus on poorer children, not adults or families earning up to $83,000 a year," said Bush.

He singled out New Mexico among six states that will spend more on adults in SCHIP than they do children.

What Bush did not say was that New Mexico got a waiver from the federal government to do that because the state already had expanded its Medicaid program to cover most of the children eligible for SCHIP.

Under the legislation Bush vetoed, New Mexico would have been allowed to increase the number of children covered by SCHIP while it removed adults from the program.

The bill would have expanded SCHIP by $35 billion over five years by raising federal cigarette taxes from 39 cents a pack to $1.

New Mexico officials said SCHIP aid for New Mexico would more than double under the bill, from $52 million to $116.5 million, and the number of children covered would rise from about 19,000 to about 30,000.

Gov. Bill Richardson called the veto "irresponsible," "outrageous" and "immoral."

He compared Bush to the Grinch who stole Christmas except that "the Grinch came three months early this year and stole children's health care.

"Unfortunately," he continued, "this is no fairy tale, and unless Congress overrides the president's veto, it will not have a happy ending."

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City Democrat who helped craft the bill in the Senate Finance Committee, chimed in with his own disappointment.

"About 100,000 New Mexico children lack health care coverage, and this bill would have allowed us to reach out to many of them.

"The good news is, we have enough votes in the Senate to override the veto," Bingaman said. "The bad news is, the same cannot be said of the House of Representatives."

Rep. Heather Wilson, an Albuquerque Republican, today reiterated her support for the measure.

"Last week I encouraged my colleagues in the House to vote in favor of the bill. And we were successful. Forty-five Republicans joined me in voting for this bill. Today, I encourage my colleagues to overturn the president's veto."

Democratic congressional leaders said they would delay a vote on the veto override to give the pressure campaigns time to work.

Sen. Pete Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican, said he conferred with University of New Mexico Hospital CEO John McKernan on Tuesday about SCHIP and afterward reaffirmed his intention to vote for a veto override.

"I had hoped the president would change his mind on a veto. I remain hopeful that we can soon reach an agreement that will get us past the political theater on this issue and begin to build on the success of this worthwhile program," Domenici said.

In Washington on Tuesday, several religious leaders also urged Congress to override the veto.

"No child should be left behind. Let no veto stand," said the Rev. Sharon Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church, also known as Disciples of Christ.

The Rev. Glenn Palmberg, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, said members of his church are political and theological conservatives, "but this won't fly."

Richardson on Tuesday signed a letter with 27 other governors urging Bush to change his mind.

"This bill represents a common-sense, bipartisan approach that will ensure that health coverage for millions of currently enrolled children is not jeopardized," said the letter.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.