[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15451]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1020
 DEMOCRATS ARE FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT PRIORITIES AND ARE FULFILLING OUR 
                          PROMISE TO VETERANS

  (Mr. MAHONEY of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MAHONEY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this year and in years past, the 
Bush administration has neglected the needs of America's veterans. In 
his annual budget request, the President did not propose enough funding 
for the Veterans Administration to meet the growing needs of our 
veterans.
  Fortunately, the new Democratic Congress did not forget about our 
veterans. This week, we will bring a Military Construction and 
Veterans' Affairs Appropriations bill to the floor that provides the 
largest increase in veterans' health care funding in history. Our bill 
includes $600 million for a new initiative for mental health and post-
traumatic stress syndrome, so that we can ensure that our veterans and 
returning soldiers have the facilities and the care they need. The 
funding bill also provides essential services that will allow these 
veterans to transition back into their communities.
  Democrats know that the Federal Government must keep its promises to 
the men and women who have defended our Nation. This bill, I am proud 
to say, lives up to that promise.

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