[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 28305-28306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            VETERANS ISSUES

  (Mr. BALLANCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page 28306]]


  Mr. BALLANCE. Mr. Speaker, next week we will honor our Nation's 
military veterans for their dedication and service to the Nation, and I 
take great pride in this day of remembrance. A little more than 30 
years ago, I had the privilege of serving in our National Guard of 
North Carolina, and so it is with distinction today that we remember 
the veterans: the veterans of the allied engagement in the Persian Gulf 
War, the brave men of the 7th Cavalry at the battle of Ia Drang, the 
airmen of MiG Alley in Korea, the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, and 
so many others deserving of the highest honors. They all are brave men 
and women who are our United States veterans, and I am proud this 
morning to stand in honor of our veterans.
  Next week we will honor our nation's military veterans for their 
dedication and service to the nation, and I take great pride in this 
day of remembrance.
  A little more than 30 years ago, I service in the North Carolina Army 
National Guard, during the conflict in Vietnam. Times were uncertain 
then, soldiers were leaving the nation in droves, coming back seasoned 
veterans of a war. We did not honor our veterans in the way they 
deserved those many decades ago, and we have learned since that time.
  And so it is with distinction today that we remember the veteran; the 
veteran of the allied engagement in the Persian Gulf War, the brave men 
of the 7th Calvary at the battle of Ia Drang, the airmen of MiG Alley 
in Korea, the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, and so many others 
deserving of the highest honors. They all are our brave men and women 
who are the United States Veteran.
  I am of the belief, Mr. Speaker, that the men and women who served 
our nation should be honored every day, not merely once a year, and I 
believe that America should fully honor the debt we owe to our 
veterans.
  Right now, more than 250,000 troops are stationed in Iraq, all of 
whom will come home as war veterans. America's military veterans are 
there for us, wherever and whenever duty calls. It is our turn to stand 
up for them.
  Through the ``Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces Act,'' House 
Democrats are fighting to preserve and protect the health care and 
financial future of our nation's veterans.
  As we speak, disabled veterans are prevented from collecting both 
their retirement pensions and disability compensation because of the 
unfair Disabled Veterans Tax.
  Five hundred sixty thousand disabled military retirees see their 
retirement pension reduced one dollar for every dollar of disability 
pay.
  They sacrificed their well-being for the Nation, and should receive 
their full disability pay. Every dollar.
  In the 1st Congressional District which I am proud to represent, 
which encompasses rural eastern North Carolina, nearly 1,500 veterans 
lose benefits every year to the Disabled Veterans Tax, costing each 
veteran approximately $5,664 in lost benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, the working families in my district are already hard hit 
by tough economic times and widespread plant closings. The veterans in 
eastern North Carolina barely get by as it is.
  This unfair tax on their rightfully earned income, translates into a 
total loss in benefits for the 1st Congressional District of almost 
$8.5 million for an economically devastated area.
  Mr. Speaker, my Democratic colleagues and I are fighting for an 
additional $1.8 billion in veterans' health benefit that have been 
recently cut from the budget.
  It is nothing less than shameful that military veterans have to wait 
as long as six months for a doctor's appointment.
  Imagine, Mr. Speaker, if your child fell ill, and yet, you had to 
wait six months to get them help. This unacceptable scenario is a 
reality for 60,000 American Military Veterans every year in this 
country.
  We are fighting to expand veterans' job training, higher education 
and housing programs. If we have money to send them to war we must also 
provide for their full benefits when they come home.
  This is the call for true shared sacrifices. We were able to spend 
$1.3 trillion in tax cuts; we should be able to spend for our veterans.

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