[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 1, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2518-H2519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SUPPORTING OUR NATION'S VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
January 7, 2003, the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor this morning to pay 
tribute to our Nation's veterans and to talk about what the budget 
resolution of this House would mean for their quality of life and their 
health care over the course of the next 10 years.
  I am sad to say that 2 weeks ago this House barely passed a budget 
resolution that would severely cut veterans' benefits, including cuts 
to health care, disability compensation, pensions and other important 
benefits.
  I would not be here today, Mr. Speaker, if not for those brave 
veterans that liberated Guam in 1944. Therefore, I must speak out when 
I see our government being derelict in its duty to veterans. It is 
unthinkable that this House would even take such drastic action against 
our veterans during a time of war. This is the wrong time and the wrong 
message to be sending to our country.
  This budget cuts $14.6 billion in funding from mandatory veterans 
programs over 10 years to help pay for the $1.35 of trillion of tax 
cuts in the budget. Over a 10-year period, the budget resolution that 
this House passed would cut almost $9 billion alone in veterans' health 
care, an average of more than $900 million less than the President has 
proposed per year.
  Make no mistake about it, Mr. Speaker: Should these cuts prevail in 
conference, and we should not let that happen, this budget would mean 
serious problems for veterans' health care. New copayments and 
enrollment fees would no doubt be on the table and under consideration 
to keep the entire system afloat in the next fiscal year.

[[Page H2519]]

  This House has a chance to correct that, to reverse course, to honor 
our Nation's veterans and to recognize their service, their sacrifice, 
and their patriotism. We can correct the harmful reconciliation 
instruction to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and we can restore 
these cuts by supporting the motion to instruct conferees that will be 
offered later today by our colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina 
(Mr. Spratt).
  Quite frankly, we should be increasing, rather than cutting, health 
and other benefits to our veterans. Let us not turn our back on our 
veterans. We should instead salute them.
  Vote for the Spratt motion to instruct conferees today when it comes 
to the floor. Vote to honor our veterans, and vote for a better budget.

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