[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 167 (Wednesday, October 31, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H12348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       138 DAYS, NO VETERANS BILL

  (Mr. BOOZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I come here today to continue my call on 
the leadership to move the Veterans appropriations bill forward.
  As of today, we have gone 138 days in this Chamber with no action, no 
plan of action, and more importantly, no veterans bill. I am concerned 
that we have a $4.4 billion increase in veterans health care collecting 
dust on someone's desk in this very building. I suspect that there are 
many people here today and watching at home who are also troubled as 
well.
  I'm proud that the veterans issues are not partisan. They never 
should be. I am also proud to be a member of a bipartisan Veterans 
Committee. I am not proud, however, that we have gone this long into 
the year without a single appropriations bill.
  I call on the leadership of the House to get on the stick, get past 
whatever reason or strategy that is holding this important bill up, and 
get a clean bill to the President so we can deliver this money to these 
heroes to whom we owe so much.

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