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




                          VA FUNDING SHORTFALL

  (Mr. EVANS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago the administration told Congress 
that the VA health care system did not need any more money. Then, 
feeling the heat, they said they needed an additional $975 million. 
Just yesterday, the Bush administration conceded that it had made 
another mistake. Now they say they need another $300 million. It is 
clear that either the administration cannot get it right or does not 
want to get it right. The nearly $1.3 billion that the administration 
now admits is necessary this year is the amount Democrats have been 
working hard for this last year. The Republican leadership has 
consistently fought adequate increases in the VA health care budget. 
Now, more than 50,000 veterans are coming to health care appointments 
and being denied care. It is time to stop nickel-and-diming veterans 
health care and give the veterans of this country what they need and 
deserve.

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