[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10498-S10499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                VETERANS

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I come to the floor this morning to seek 
recognition to speak about something that is very important to Congress 
and the American people, and that is the issue of the state of veterans 
affairs in this country.
  The Senate on Wednesday heard from the Senator from Washington an 
episode so designed and delivered by her that would suggest that this 
Congress has ignored and done little to help America's veterans, both 
current and in the sense of Afghanistan and Iraq, those future 
veterans. I simply do not agree and take issue with her 
characterization of the record of the Bush administration and this 
Republican-led Congress when it comes to caring for America's veterans. 
In my capacity as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I take 
issue with her suggestion that Congress has done nothing in its job to 
demand accountability out of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  I must suggest it is not surprising that a month removed from a 
midterm election our Democratic colleagues are leveling accusations 
against a Republican-led Congress that it has failed to hold the Bush 
administration accountable for a host of issues. Let's remember, it is 
a political season and the statements made on the floor Wednesday about 
veterans and veterans affairs is very politically charged.
  I have no trouble with tough oversight and accountability and finding 
answers to serious problems, but to consistently suggest that the sky 
is falling while leaving out any whiff of praise or any good that has 
been accomplished is very political at best and it is a disservice to 
our veterans and the thousands of dedicated VA employees who care for 
them.
  The speech of the Senator from Washington regarding VA provides a 
very clear example of what I mean. During her speech, the Senator from 
Washington highlighted a recently released GAO report that confirmed 
the problems VA encountered in its formulation and execution of its 
budgets in fiscal years 20005 and 2006 that ultimately led to the Bush 
administration--that is right, this administration--and this Congress 
asking for a supplemental funding of $3 billion.
  From that report, she drew her own conclusions--in my view 
unsubstantiated conclusions--that the VA had misled and even lied to 
Congress about the veracity of its budget requests. Then she demanded 
accountability, as if it were nonexistent. I am here to tell my 
colleagues of the steps that have been taken to establish that 
accountability that is there and very clear today.

  As soon as we learned of last year's budget shortfall, I called 
hearings and we got answers. The answers all of us received from the VA 
at that hearing and then in subsequent oversight hearings were what the 
GAO reported--that they were following much of what was being done to 
establish greater credibility. More importantly, what the Senator from 
Washington left out of her rendition of the GAO's report was that VA 
had already implemented nearly all of the GAO's recommendations prior 
to submission of its fiscal year 2007 budget in February.
  Solutions to a problem were identified and implemented long ago, and 
that is why our VA is functioning as well as it is today. Also, based 
upon when we learned during our oversight hearings, we required VA to 
submit quarterly reports on budget execution. We have received three 
such reports this year. VA officials made themselves available to 
Members, to the staff, Republicans and Democrats alike.
  We have historically operated the Veterans' Affairs Committee in a 
very bipartisan way, and it is beyond the pale that it appears we are 
now into partisan attacks just prior to the election.
  Furthermore, for anyone interested in learning the facts about how VA 
is holding itself accountable for performance, you need to look at the 
record.

[[Page S10499]]

Just open up the VA's budget documents and you will see a host of 
performance measures that show a degree of institutional accountability 
that is the envy of other Government agencies and roundly praised by 
independent observers. Let me tick off a few of those performance 
measures, and as I am doing so, please be mindful of how the 
improvements in these areas during the Bush years have impacted the 
lives of veterans.
  The percentage of patients who report being seen within 20 minutes of 
scheduled appointments by the VA care facilities has improved from 65 
percent in 2002 to 73 percent through the end of last year.
  The percentage of primary care appointments scheduled within 30 days 
of the desired date has improved from 89 percent in 2002 to 96 percent 
through the end of last year.
  The percentage of specialty care appointments scheduled within 30 
days of the desired date have improved from 86 percent in 2002 to 93 
percent this year.
  The number of veterans the VA treats in noninstitutional, long-term 
care settings has increased by 50 percent since 2002.
  And the list goes on and on and on.
  In 2004, the Rand Corporation examined why VA patients get better 
chronic preventative care than similar U.S. audits. The answer? Rand 
concluded that the VA's edge is linked to improved information 
technology, tracking of performance, and accountability. And that is 
when in these charts this kind of recognition began to take over. All 
of this was ignored in the speech by the Senator from Washington. So 
let's look at some of those facts.
  Washington Monthly is not necessarily a publication that constantly 
praises the Bush administration, but it says VA care is the ``best care 
anywhere''--a tremendous statement and a very fine article about the 
phenomenal increases in quality health care delivered by the Veterans' 
Administration over the last number of years.
  That is not the end of that story. Here is another part of that 
story, and this comes from not a Washington publication but from Time 
magazine. It goes on to say in this article how VA hospitals have 
become the best in the Nation. It says that for the sixth year in a 
row--let's backtrack to the Bush administration. I think they have been 
around a few years, maybe 6 or more. VA hospitals last year scored 
higher than private facilities on the University of Michigan's American 
Customer Satisfaction Index. The VA scored 83 out of 100. Private 
institutions scored 71 out of 100. That is a pretty good record. In 
fact, it is the best record in the United States.
  Now, what did BusinessWeek magazine say about it? They said something 
very similar. They said that 154 hospitals and 871 clinics run by the 
Veterans' Administration have been ranked best in class by a number of 
independent groups on a broad range of measures from chronic care to 
heart disease treatment, and on and on. The VA's prescription for 
accuracy rates is greater than 99.97 percent. That is the rest of the 
story, and it is a mighty important story.
  Now, let me talk just a few minutes about money because I think that 
is part of why we are as successful as we are, but it is also a 
phenomenal statement of this Congress--yes, a Republican-led Congress--
and this administration's commitment to America's veterans. What are 
those accomplishments during the Bush years? Let me list a few.
  With enactment of the 2007 budget, VA's health care budget will have 
increased 70 percent during the Bush years. Look at the numbers. Here 
they are. Those are undeniable. Those, in fact, are facts. They are 
budgetary facts. It is one of the fastest growth rates and increases in 
budget in any other area except defense in a time of war in this period 
of budgeting of the U.S. Government. Has a Republican-led Congress 
turned its back on American veterans? Quite the opposite.

  The GI bill educational benefits for veterans has been boosted by 65 
percent, raising the lifetime benefit from $23,400 to $38,700.
  A new educational program was created for members of the Guard and 
Reserve activated after September 11, 2001, providing up to $39,960 in 
lifetime benefits.
  The educational benefit for survivor and dependents of vets has been 
increased by 46 percent.
  The maximum VA home loan guarantee has been increased by 107 percent.
  The largest expansion of the National Cemetery System since the Civil 
War is currently underway.
  Historic legislation was enacted to permit certain disabled veterans 
to receive their disability and military retirement benefits 
concurrently.
  Comprehensive legislation was enacted to update and strengthen 
civilian protection available to members of the Armed Forces.
  Comprehensive legislation was enacted to improve job training and 
placement services for veterans.
  A new insurance program was created to provide immediate benefits--
payments of between $25,000 to $100,000 to servicemembers who have been 
traumatically injured since the beginning of the war on terror. Mr. 
President, 2,700 injured veterans have received that benefit.
  That is the record. That is the record, and that is the one this 
Congress and this President have responded to in a most timely and, 
more importantly, responsible fashion.
  Now that I think the record is clear, what are some of the other 
answers?
  Well, some on the other side would say it is money, money, money, and 
more money. We have found it is quite the opposite. It is making the 
system we have work more efficiently, more responsibly. We are now 
reshaping VA to handle the high-tech problems it has had, or the 
informational problems it has had, to make sure we secure the names and 
the lists and the informational flow of our veterans and their 
backgrounds. I am extremely proud of the work we have done, and we have 
done it in a bipartisan way.
  So why now, in the late hours of this year, are we all of a sudden 
hearing all of these things that are what I believe to be improper 
statements about the Veterans' Administration? Well, I think we have to 
recognize what is at hand. It is a political year. But there is 
something we have never done; that is, politicize veterans or 
politicize our military. And we shouldn't start now.
  Our record is strong. Our support of veterans has always been there. 
I have given my colleagues the facts and the numbers. I am proud of the 
accomplishments we have made this year alone, a near 14 percent 
increase in veterans health care or veterans budgets in general. There 
is no other agency of our Government except Defense that has had that 
kind of an increase.
  So let's recognize what the year is all about. It is politics and it 
is political. What I have given my colleagues is a factual accounting 
of the great successes we have had in veterans affairs, with veterans, 
delivering service to veterans. That doesn't mean we are perfect and it 
doesn't mean every veteran got exactly what they wanted the moment they 
asked for it. That will never exist. But we will be responsive. We do 
care. And the expression on the part of this Congress, this President, 
and the American taxpayer in relation to the support of our veterans 
is, in fact, unprecedented.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Who yields time?
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Isakson). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I believe it is time to close morning 
business.

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