[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7958]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         FIGHT FOR OUR VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, in Iraq our Nation is creating 300,000 
new war veterans. As these future veterans are fulfilling their duty to 
America in time of war, we must commit to fulfill our responsibilities 
to them in times of peace. But instead, the Bush administration 
recently saved $388 million by eliminating 174,000 veterans from 
eligibility in the VA health care systems. Some might say that that is 
fiscally responsible; but I say it is absolutely dishonorable.
  While we are warring in Iraq, this House is engaged in a debate on 
whether to give Americans who earn more than $1 million a year a tax 
cut of almost $90,000 each, while just two months ago President Bush 
decided that veterans earning more than $29,000 a year do not need 
America's help getting health care.
  Where are our priorities? Giving money to the richest of the rich 
while taking services from the bravest and sometimes the poorest is 
unacceptable. Giving the wealthiest Americans extra spending money 
should not be the first priority of this House. But making sure we give 
every veteran health coverage must be. It seems like the priorities of 
this Congress are all wrong.
  We have forgotten about responsibility, morality, and justice. We 
have forgotten our commitment to our men and women in uniform. We have 
forgotten about human dignity. Finding money for veterans programs is 
not impossible. It is a matter of priorities. We can pay for concurrent 
receipt, but not if we pass a huge tax cut for the wealthiest of the 
wealthy.
  Families are the glue that make America strong. We cannot forget the 
sacrifices of those family members who have supported veterans from the 
homefront. America owes them a debt of gratitude as well. That is why 
it is so important to fix the survivor benefit plan which ensures that 
veterans' families have the resources needed to deal with the death of 
a loved one.
  I am proud to co-sponsor H.R. 548, which would fix the problems with 
our current system and ensure that survivors get the assistance that 
they deserve. But, Madam Speaker, the Republican budget resolution is 
also a slap to America's veterans. It cuts over $14.5 billion from 
mandatory veterans benefits and another $14 billion in discretionary 
programs; $14.6 billion that veterans could spend on health care, on 
housing, and feeding their families.
  Every American owes veterans a debt of gratitude. We must do more 
than give speeches on Memorial Day. The rhetoric of patriotism is 
absolutely not enough. We must ensure that veterans get the services 
and the resources they have earned and the resources and the services 
that they deserve. Let us also make sure that disabled veterans receive 
the retirement pay along with disability compensation. It is an issue 
of fairness and our veterans deserve better than what we are giving 
them. This is money that should serve those that have served America. 
This is money that would go to our soldiers fighting today in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. This is money that veterans have been promised and that 
veterans deserve.
  Unfortunately, this money is being denied to veterans so that the 
wealthiest Americans can get an obscenely large tax cut. If we cut 
money for veterans, we should be ashamed, all of America should be 
ashamed. Veterans deserve to be one of this Nation's number one 
priorities. I urge my Republican colleagues in this House to remember 
that. Veterans are fighting for us. We must fight for them.

                          ____________________