[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14767]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR THE VA BUDGET

  (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, the Republicans started off their 1 minutes 
today, as the President did last night, by saying it is time to show 
the troops how much we care. Show them how much we care, except when 
they come home!
  How do we show how much we care?
  We have cut the VA budget. The VA budget that was just announced is 
$1 billion short this year, $2.5 billion short next year.
  Our troops come back with post-traumatic stress disorder, and can get 
no services. They come back with dental problems, and have to wait a 
year for an appointment. That is how much we show how much we support 
our troops!
  Mr. Speaker, the Democrats tried through this whole appropriations 
process to raise the amount of money for our veterans. I asked for $3 
billion, which would have made up for this shortfall. I was ruled out 
of order.
  Do my colleagues know what is out of order, Mr. Speaker? This 
administration is out of order. This Congress is out of order.
  We have to show that we do support our troops by giving them the 
support they need when they come home to the veterans health system. We 
are not doing that today. Let us hope that we can add this money as the 
appropriations process proceeds.

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