[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 22]
[House]
[Page 30350]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         VETERANS FUNDING BILL

  (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, as a veteran of the United States, I rise 
in support of the House bill on veterans funding.
  Over the last 5 years, hundreds of thousands of Americans, military 
personnel, have bravely served this country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  I am proud that North Carolina is home to many of these soldiers and 
also has one of the highest veteran populations in the country. 
Unfortunately, VA health care is still not adequately prepared to care 
for those who are returning from combat. Today, nearly 400,000 veterans 
are faced with unreasonable delays for their claims to be processed.
  Yesterday, this Democratic House once again fulfilled its commitment 
to our veterans by passing a conference report that is $3.7 billion 
over President Bush's request for veterans medical care, claims 
processing personnel and for facility improvements. The conference 
report includes the largest increase in funding in the 77-year history 
of the VA to fund these health care needs, as well as funds for 1,800 
new processors to alleviate the claims backlog.
  Despite a veto threat from this President, who is spending millions 
of dollars on roads, schools and health care in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
this House passed the VA funding bill on a vote of 269-142. The Senate 
should follow our lead, and the President should reverse his course and 
sign this vital bill into law.

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