[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 10, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             RURAL VETERANS

  (Mr. BURNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for 
America's veterans and all military personnel, especially those 
veterans who live in rural locations throughout the United States.
  The 108th Congress is committed to America's veterans. We are 
providing record funding for veterans programs, including improvements 
in our veterans health care system.
  These funding measures are allowing the Veterans Administration to 
open community-based outpatient clinics in many areas of our country. A 
new community-based outpatient clinic is planned for Athens, Georgia, 
located in Georgia's 12th District. This clinic will provide many 
needed medical services to groups of proud veterans in Athens and 
surrounding areas.
  We need to ensure that these outpatient clinics are adequately funded 
and staffed. We need to encourage the establishment of additional 
clinics in rural areas where they can be beneficial to our population 
of veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, this Congress is committed to those who currently defend 
this Nation and to those who have served her in the past.

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