[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13252]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        BUSH ADMINISTRATION FALLS SHORT ON PROMISES TO VETERANS

  (Ms. BERKLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, on the 4th of July, families in Las Vegas 
will celebrate the anniversary of our Nation's independence with great 
fanfare, including parades, watching the fire works, singing our 
National Anthem, honoring our veterans. Also on this day, I will join 
in the local effort to provide meals to the homeless veterans in my 
community.
  Sadly, the Bush administration and many in Congress have fallen short 
on the promises made to our veterans. President Bush shortchanged our 
veterans when he proposed to increase the prescription drug copay and 
create a $250 user fee for veterans who use the VA. Republicans 
shortchanged our veterans when they underfunded important veterans 
programs and underfunded veterans health care by $1 billion.
  We must not only remember and thank our veterans on holidays like 
Independence Day; we must send a message to them every day that we as 
Americans are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice by 
meeting our promises, the promises made to our veterans to provide 
health care and other important benefits.

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