[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15634]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RESTORE VETERANS HEALTH FUNDING

  (Mr. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, the House should not recess this week until 
we have addressed the VA health care crisis. As we speak, health care 
services for veterans all across America are either being delayed or 
cut because of a billion dollar plus shortfall in VA health care 
programs.
  Cutting veterans health care during a time of war is inexcusable and 
wrong. Unfortunately, 12 days ago the House leadership refused to 
support the billion and a half emergency funding bill passed by the 
Senate 96 to 0 on a bipartisan basis.
  We could have had help already on its way to our veterans. It has 
been 8 days since Members of Congress gave patriotic speeches on July 4 
honoring the service of our veterans. Those speeches are fine. Veterans 
deserve our support with our deeds not just our words.
  Given the House leadership caused the VA health care crisis in the 
first place by underfunding, seriously underfunding health care 
programs for veterans over the last 2 years, they have a moral 
obligation to bring and pass through this House and send to the 
President this week an emergency funding bill for veterans. Our 
veterans deserve no less.

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