[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5351]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     THE TREATMENT OF OUR VETERANS

  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, the failures of this 
administration are once again on display today. From the failure to 
plan for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to plan for the aftermath of 
Hurricane Katrina, and now we face the unconscionable failure to plan 
for the care of our veterans at Walter Reed and other facilities across 
the country.
  This administration's inability to plan, their total disregard of 
expert advice, and the President's stubborn refusal to even acknowledge 
the consequences of marching our country off to war all have led to our 
servicemembers living in substandard conditions after coming back and 
fighting for this country.
  Some of my colleagues deflect this criticism by saying yes, that's 
true, but what is your plan? Our plan is to actually plan ahead. Most 
members of the military like myself and the VSOs that support them 
anticipated the need for added resources to support our veterans at a 
time of war. But the President continued year after year after year to 
cut funding resources to the VA. The cost of war must include the cost 
of caring for our warriors.
  Now another avoidable crisis is upon us and I say and the country 
says, Enough is enough. The era of putting politics before the needs of 
our citizens comes to an end. The American public will not stand for 
one more day of this incompetence. Now is the time to act. This 
Congress must exhibit the leadership that will restore the American 
people's confidence in their government and provide the services to our 
wounded veterans.

                          ____________________