[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9733]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           VETERANS BENEFITS

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                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 10, 2003

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, our nation's veterans have 
fought to protect our freedoms and the way of life we cherish. 
Unfortunately, when their service is done and they retire, our military 
personnel are too often excluded from the American Dream they fought to 
preserve.
  We all know that military pay does not compare to private sector 
wages. After retirement, thousands of veterans cannot afford to 
purchase a home because their military pensions do not cover the cost 
of a mortgage payment.
  Because of this inequity, the Veterans Administration instituted a 
home loan program to assist veterans achieve the dream of home 
ownership. While this is a commendable program, the maximum loan amount 
is often not enough to purchase a home--particularly in regions with 
high real-estate markets.
  My legislation would increase this amount from $60,000 to $81,000 to 
make it comparable to the maximum loan amount available to the public. 
After giving so much to their nation, veterans deserve the same 
opportunities for home ownership given to every American.

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