[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[House]
[Page 31686]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS HAD TO FIGHT PRESIDENT BUSH ALL THE WAY ON THE 
                         VETERANS FUNDING BILL

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last week this House passed a final 
veterans funding bill that provides the largest investment in veterans 
health care in the 77-year history of the VA. Congress initially passed 
this legislation over the opposition of President Bush and his 
administration.
  Now, back in June, then Bush budget director, Rob Portman, said that 
the Bush administration would veto the Homeland Security measure as 
well as an even more generous bill funding veterans health programs and 
construction at military bases.
  One week later, when this House was about to vote on the legislation, 
the White House sent over a letter saying that planned increases to 
veterans were excessive.
  And then in August, the President directed his VA Secretary to send 
Congress a letter letting them know that veterans didn't really need 
$3.7 billion we had included over the President's request.
  Mr. Speaker, it's clear that, until recently, President Bush and his 
administration did not believe we should fulfill our promises to our 
Nation's veterans. The President's paper trail is clear, and had it not 
been for this Democratic Congress, our veterans would not now be one 
step closer to the historic funding increase.

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