[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         FAIRNESS FOR VETERANS

  (Mr. FILNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, colleagues I rise today in support of the 
action taken earlier today by Vice President Al Gore on behalf of our 
Nation's veterans. The Vice President has announced that the 
administration will seek an additional $1 billion fully paid for to 
ensure our Nation can continue to provide quality and timely health 
care for our veterans.
  America's veterans and many Members of Congress have been speaking 
out loudly in the past months for an increase in the veterans budget 
for fiscal year 2000. I am pleased and proud that the administration 
has heard our call.
  The Vice President's action is a vital step toward keeping the 
promise that was made to our veterans when they joined the Armed Forces 
and made their promise to serve their country. We will begin to meet 
the long-term care needs of our aging veterans. We will begin to lower 
the waiting times for our medical appointments that veterans have to 
endure now.
  Mr. Speaker, after years of flat line budgets, this action is sorely 
needed. I salute this move taken by the Vice President this morning.

                          ____________________