[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 9, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     VETERANS OVERLOOKED IN BUDGET

  (Mrs. BENTLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. BENTLEY. Mr. Speaker, after reading about veterans in the 
budget, I am left with the question: What priority do veterans have?
  If the President's explanation is any clue, veterans are a low 
priority, his only mention being a $500 million increase for medical 
care. More ink--and space--is given to the $3 billion to be allotted to 
the VA if his health bill passes. The implication is clear: Veterans 
are being held hostage to the health bill.
  The budget is flawed for other reasons--the construction budget drops 
$245 million. But the earmarked projects should raise some eyebrows--
research wings to hospitals will be built in West Virginia and Oregon. 
At the same time research medicine is being cut by $41 million, and 800 
research employees will be let go.
  Why build the facilities if there are no employees and no money for 
research? The construction budget could be better used to upgrade 
current facilities, hospitals, or cemeteries.
  This is an OMB document driven by dollars rather than an obligation 
to veterans--color it green, and not red, white, and blue.

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