[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1711]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      OPPOSITION TO THE FISCAL YEAR 1997 VA/HUD CONFERENCE REPORT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SPENCER BACHUS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 1996

  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I joined 24 of my colleagues in 
opposing the fiscal year 1997 VA/HUD conference report. I want to be 
very clear that I strongly support our veterans. I voted for this 
legislation when the House passed its version earlier this year. But I 
could not, in good conscience vote for the conference report.
  I voted against this bill for one reason and one reason only--this 
bill hurt some of the accounts most critical to our Nation's veterans. 
The House Veterans' Affairs Committee worked long and hard to produce a 
budget that maintained or increased almost every major VA account. 
Unfortunately, the final conference product cuts the House request of 
two of the most critical veterans programs while increasing funds for 
nonveterans programs.
  The VA medical care account was cut by $55 million over the House-
passed version. As the VA struggles to offer consistent quality medical 
care to veterans, I am angry that these dollars are being spent by 
Americorps--a paid volunteer program which received $400 million more 
than the House originally intended. Our veterans heeded the call of our 
country and risked their lives and their health in true service to the 
United States. They should not be asked to take a back seat to a 
program that has been criticized for mismanagement and waste.
  The VA medical research account was cut $15 million from the House 
passed legislation. Mr. Speaker, in addition VA's premier research 
efforts in areas such as spinal cord injury and blind rehabilitation, 
this cut hurts some of our newest and sickest veterans--those who have 
returned from Operation Desert Storm with bizarre service-connected 
illnesses ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome to cancer. On the heels 
of a long-overdue Pentagon admission that some of our troops were 
exposed to chemical weapons, we are trimming the very dollars that may 
have been used to improve treatment methods or quality of life for 
these soldiers.
  I am an original cosponsor of a bill introduced by my colleague, the 
Honorable Glen Browder creating an independent commission to study the 
use of chemical weapons in the gulf war. We must take the lessons of 
our sick veterans to ensure that future generations of soldiers are 
given the best opportunity to perform in an age of chemical warfare and 
still come home with their health.
  The priorities of this conference report are skewed. While I 
understand that overall VA funding is increased over fiscal year 1996 
dollars, I am disappointed that VA's medical mission has been slighted 
in the process. The wishes of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee 
should have been given more, not less, consideration.

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