[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 41 (Monday, March 29, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E470-E471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005

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                               speech of

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 25, 2004

        The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the concurrent resolution 
     (H. Con. Res. 393) establishing the congressional budget for 
     the United States Government for fiscal year 2005 and setting 
     forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2004 and 
     2006 through 2009:

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, a few days ago, I reluctantly voted for 
the budget resolution that was thoroughly debated on the House floor. 
My reluctance in voting for the budget was based on one main cause, my 
concern for our nation's veterans. Even though we increased funding in 
veterans' care once again, I believe there was further room for 
improvement.
   The budget that we passed is a step forward in the areas of deficit 
reduction and spending control. I am heartened by our efforts to cap 
some areas of government spending but disappointed that we continue to 
debate the proper level of veterans' funding. In the past months, there 
has been great discussion in the funding that these brave individuals 
who have sacrificed so much for our country will receive from the VA. 
With that discussion, I believe that we should never lose sight of what 
these veterans have accomplished and what they have meant to our 
Nation's freedom.
   As this process moves forward, I believe that there are additional 
areas of the budget that can be curtailed to further supplement our 
veterans' funding needs. For example, we should continue to scrutinize 
our massive foreign aid budget for savings that can be returned to the 
U.S. shores and to the veterans' needs.
  In the end, I voted for this budget because we must continue the 
process and we will have opportunities to improve our veterans' 
funding. Additionally, to delay this budget means we delay our national 
defense and our homeland security priorities. To delay this budget 
risks not having a budget at all and that leaves no barriers to 
government spending. In a time of war, we can not allow that to happen.
  We must all work hard to improve the budget before it comes to 
conference. I hope that

[[Page E471]]

at that point we will all be able to vote for the budget without 
reservation and with the confidence that our Nation's veterans have 
been properly cared for by the government.

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