[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15862]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 DEMOCRATS WANT TO PROVIDE OUR VETERANS HISTORIC FUNDING; REPUBLICANS 
                             JUST OBSTRUCT

  (Mr. WALZ of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, this week Democrats are trying to 
honor our Nation's veterans and servicemembers by fulfilling our sacred 
obligation to provide for their care.
  We would like to bring a bill on the floor today that includes the 
largest increase in veterans' health care funding in the 77-year 
history of the Veterans Administration. It is enthusiastically endorsed 
in its current form by the American Legion, the Disabled American 
Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Paralyzed Veterans of 
America, and countless other veterans' service organizations. It should 
have been on the floor yesterday, but House Republicans continue to 
obstruct the process.
  I ask my colleagues across the aisle to join us in supporting bills 
that will secure America by better providing for our veterans. Forcing 
meaningless procedural motions does nothing. Think of all the great 
things we can accomplish on the House floor for our veterans if we just 
simply work for the greater good.
  Last week, every single member, Republican and Democrat, of the House 
Appropriations Committee supported the Military Construction and 
veterans funding bill. They all supported it because it provides for 
our veterans, as we promised.
  I would hope today that Republicans would stop obstructing the 
process so that we can produce real results. Our veterans deserve 
nothing less, and they are watching.

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