[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25327]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1330
          ASSURED FUNDING FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2005

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bass). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, this is the week upon which the Nation will 
solemnly recognize the holiday known as Veterans Day, a day out of the 
year when we should pause to recognize the sacrifice of those 25 
million who have served our Nation and the 2.2 million people serving 
today in uniform, many on the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan, or in 
other hot spots around the world.
  This is not the only day in which we should recognize the sacrifice 
that those who have served in the past have given or the current 
sacrifice of the veterans and the active-duty military and their 
families, but we should do that every day. And the way Congress could 
do that best would be to assure veterans that the United States 
Government will keep its promises, promises that were made to them and 
their families at the time of enlistment.
  Unfortunately, we have fallen short. Until this year the 
administration had consistently underfunded veterans' benefits, and in 
fact, even earlier this year the President's proposed budget would have 
claimed a substantial increase in health care funding for veterans, but 
actually would have done that by taxing veterans with a $250 enrollment 
fee for 2.2 million veterans and doubling the prescription drug 
copayment. It was not too many years ago that we had no required 
copayment for veterans. We should return to that time for vets in need.
  These are quotes from the Veterans of Foreign Wars; since we do not 
want this to be a partisan issue, let us quote from a nonpartisan group 
about the President's budget:
  ``This budget will cause veterans health care to be delayed and may 
result in the return of 6-month-long waiting periods. That is 
especially shameful during a time of war.'' This is from the VFW, 
February 7, 2005.
  ``The message that this budget communicates is that part of the 
Federal Government deficit will be balanced on the back of military 
veterans,'' he said, ``because it's clear that the proper funding of 
veterans health care and other programs is not an administration 
policy.'' Again, a quote from the VFW.
  The American Legion, same day: ```This is not acceptable,' said 
Thomas P. Cadmus, national commander. ``It's nothing more than a health 
care tax designed to increase revenue at the expense of veterans who 
served their country.'' He went on to say that during his visits to VA 
hospitals, he had not run into Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or Ross Perot 
seeking care. He sees mostly veterans, many on small fixed incomes, 
trying to make ends meet and exercising their very best health care 
option, Cadmus observed.
  ``No active-duty servicemember in harm's way should ever have to 
question the Nation's commitment to veterans. This is the wrong message 
at the wrong time to the wrong constituent.'' Again, the commander of 
the American Legion.
  Why is the Republican-led Congress not listening to that? This week 
they are going to struggle mightily to cut programs important to 
middle-income families, student loans and other programs. Then, in the 
near future, they are going to struggle mightily to pass $70 billion of 
new tax cuts for people who earn over $300,000 a year. But are they 
going to struggle or are they even going to allow a vote here on the 
floor of the House of Representatives on H.R. 515, the Assured Funding 
for Veterans Health Care Act?
  There is no better way that the elected Representatives could 
celebrate Veterans Day here in the United States than by bringing up 
and passing this legislation that would, for all future budgets, assure 
that there would be adequate funding for veterans. They are already 
threatening a 2 percent across-the-board cut on that side of the aisle 
after they do the tax cuts for the rich people, because then we will be 
having to increase the size of the deficit despite the cuts to middle- 
and low-income programs, and that, of course, would hit hard again on 
veterans' programs.
  We need assurances that that is not going to happen again. We need to 
properly recognize their service. The pay raises for Members of 
Congress, those are going forward in the House, although I oppose them. 
But somehow we cannot get the additional funding and the assured 
funding we need for our Nation's veterans.
  Please, to the leadership, my Republican colleagues, and those on my 
side of the aisle, let us not just go home and march in the parades and 
tell people we are with the veterans. Let us demonstrate that with a 
vote of support on assured funding, mandatory funding, for every future 
budget year so that we will not go through these future struggles.
  I have had too many calls from too many veterans to my district 
office where we have tried to help them get in for critically needed 
care because of the extraordinary waiting lists in my part of the 
country, and I know that is not unique. We have got to do away with 
those waiting lists and deliver on the promises we have made.
  Happy Veterans Day.

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