[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24685]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          UNNECESSARY DELAY IN PASSING VETERANS APPROPRIATIONS

  (Mr. PEARCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the 
unnecessary delay in passing this year's veterans appropriations.
  This year's veterans appropriations passed with an overwhelming 
majority in both Houses, 409-2 in this body and 92-1 in the Senate. 
This kind of bipartisanship makes it clear to all that Congress takes 
its obligation to our Nation's veterans very seriously.
  I sincerely believe America's veterans want to see a final version of 
veterans funding quickly passed so they may receive the desperately 
needed funding. However, I feel this will not be the case. Last week, 
one Democratic aide, asked about this year's veterans appropriations, 
was quoted in Roll Call saying, ``These bills constitute the little bit 
of leverage we have.''
  Mr. Speaker, the sacrifices that our young men and women are making 
in Iraq and Afghanistan are not leverage. The tragedies that occurred 
at Walter Reed are not leverage. Veterans health care is not political 
leverage. We must recognize that veterans funding is critical and 
should not be used for partisan politics.
  I urge my colleagues to rise above the partisan bickering and pass 
this. Our veterans are demanding: Do not betray us.

                          ____________________