[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E904-E905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  U.S. TROOP READINESS, VETERANS' HEALTH AND IRAQ ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, 
                                  2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2007

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
conference report to H.R. 1591, the ``U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' 
Health and Iraq Accountability Act.''
  For far too long this administration, with no oversight from the 
previous Republican-led Congresses, has committed our precious 
resources to this war without a sufficient plan to win the peace. It 
sent our soldiers to war without adequate armor and equipment. It 
wasted billions of taxpayers' dollars in sole-source contracts and lost 
suitcases of cash.
  This war also has severely hampered our readiness should a military 
operation become necessary somewhere else in the world. Top Army 
officials have acknowledged that the demands placed on the military 
mostly because of the war in Iraq have caused critical shortages in the 
number of available ground troops and equipment. With the President's 
surge of troops in Iraq, we are at a crisis point.
  The mismanagement of this war must not continue. The false promises 
must end. The administration's free pass must be revoked.
  H.R. 1591 provides critical funding for American soldiers in Iraq and 
Afghanistan while establishing a necessary timeline for the 
redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq. It also directs the president to 
certify that the Iraqi government is making progress in meeting certain 
benchmarks. While the timeline is not as strong as the one previously 
passed by this body, I believe that we are moving in the right 
direction.
  The bill includes $2.1 billion more in funding than the president 
requested for military health care and $1.8 billion more than the 
President's request for veterans' health care. The Walter Reed scandal 
showed the potential for far more widespread problems across the 
military health care system if we do not act now to take better care of 
our war veterans. More troops are returning home injured than our 
government predicted or was prepared for, and the system runs the risk 
of being stretched thin. Taking care of the men and women who have 
battled with the stars and stripes on their shoulders is more than a 
feel-good issue, it is a moral issue.
  When Americans enlist in the Armed Forces, they are assuming the 
responsibility of defending our country. They do so with the belief 
that their country will assume the responsibility of taking care of 
their injuries as attentively and humanely as possible. Today, we are 
taking steps to ensure that what happened at Walter Reed will not 
happen anywhere else.
  I also want to commend the conferees for including $50 million for 
Ground Zero workers

[[Page E905]]

and responders who risked their lives and are now suffering devastating 
health effects because of their brave service following the 9/11 
terrorist attacks.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

                          ____________________