[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PRESIDENT'S BUDGET CONTINUES TO SHORTCHANGE VETERANS AND MILITARY 
                                RETIREES

  (Mr. WILSON of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation as a 
government to provide assistance to the men and women who have bravely 
served our Nation in our military; but once again, President Bush sent 
us a budget this week that significantly shortchanges veterans health 
care.
  While our brave troops are fighting abroad as of right now, the 
President proposes a $3.5 billion cut in veterans health care over the 
next 5 years. His budget also provides less than veteran service 
organizations say is needed to meet the growing needs of veterans, 
including the fact that we have a growing robust amount of veterans 
with the Iraq-Afghanistan war.
  For the fifth year in a row, the budget raises health care costs on 
1.3 million veterans, imposing $4.9 million in increased copayments on 
prescription drugs, and new enrollment fees on veterans over the next 
10 years.
  The budget also increases TRICARE health care premiums for the 
Nation's military retirees, and includes several other changes in 
military health care that have been rejected by Congress in previous 
years.
  If these proposals are not successful during the 2008 fiscal year, 
the budget for military health care will continue to be underfunded by 
at least $1.8 billion.
  Mr. Speaker, America's veterans deserve better, and they will get it 
from this Democratic House.

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