[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 191 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H15418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FUNDING OUR VETERANS

  (Mrs. DRAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, this is day 74. That is 74 days since the 
start of the new fiscal year. Our veterans still do not have access to 
the increased funding provided in a bill that passed the House and 
Senate months ago and the President is waiting to sign.
  This bill includes increased funding to improve access to medical 
services for all veterans, new initiatives for mental health and PTSD, 
increased funds for improved medical facilities, and increased funding 
to assist homeless veterans, to name just a few.
  The Democrats have refused to move the bill forward. Our veterans 
have been operating on an extended shoestring budget since October 1. 
We now know that instead of moving the bill forward, the Democrats will 
instead pass more temporary funding that does not include this 
increased funding for our veterans. Then our veterans will be lumped 
together with other spending in a massive package.
  I'm calling on the Speaker to move the bill forward. I am calling on 
all Americans to contact their Representatives and tell the Democratic 
leadership to send a clean veterans appropriations bill to the 
President now.

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