President Bush vowed on Thursday to veto a minimally revised children’s health insurance bill, as House Republicans attempted to block a vote on the hastily scheduled measure.

Republicans members complained they did not have enough time to read the legislation, which Democratic leaders rushed through the Rules Committee late Wednesday. Republicans also protested the rule for debate, which bars amendments, and said it was unfair to force a floor vote when many Southern California members have flown home to be with constituents who are struggling to cope with devastating wildfires. They asked Democrats to postpone a vote on the bill until next week, but were rebuffed.

With the State Children’s Health Insurance Program’s authorization due to lapse Nov. 16, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., insisted it was vital to send the new bill to the Senate this week, so the notoriously slow-moving other chamber has time to act on it. The House is not in session Friday.

Republicans forced repeated procedural votes, delaying progress toward passage.

Asked how long Democratic leaders could keep their own troops on hand to vote on Republican motions to adjourn, an aide to Democratic Conference Chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois said, “Beats me. How long can they?”

Heather A. Wilson, R-N.M., a supporter of the original bill Bush vetoed Oct. 3, said about the timing of the new bill: “Take your pick, it’s partisan or incompetent.”

The bill would expand SCHIP by about $35 billion over five years, to $60 billion. It is nearly identical to the earlier measure, but for a handful of changes intended to draw enough GOP support for an override.

The House fell 13 votes short Oct. 18 of overriding the earlier bill’s veto.