[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15754]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      VETERANS HEALTH CARE FUNDING

  (Mr. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, it has now been 13 days since the House 
could have passed a $1.5 billion emergency VA health care spending bill 
to address the VA health care crisis in America. Unfortunately for 
millions of America's veterans, the House leadership refused to pass 
the bipartisan bill that the Senate had already passed by a vote of 96-
0. We could have already had help on the way, but the House leadership 
said no.
  Yesterday, the VA confirmed what House Democrats said on this floor 
13 days ago, the House leadership-backed VA bill does not fully address 
the VA health care crisis. Every day that goes by is a day when 
veterans are either having their important health care delayed or 
canceled. The House Republican leadership caused this VA health care 
crisis by underfunding VA health care for 2 years. Now they have a 
responsibility to deal with it.
  Now I hear the House leadership says we might be on vacation this 
Friday. What is more important, Members of the House taking a vacation 
this Friday or addressing the needs of America's veterans?

                          ____________________