OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2006

Date: May 4, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health Insurance Veterans Government Budget and Spending


MAKING EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2006 -- (Senate - May 04, 2006)

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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I thank the Chair for yielding time on this amendment.

This amendment would provide an additional $20 million for veterans health care, offset by striking $20 million that would be appropriated under this supplemental for the Americorps program. The Americorps program has already received $900 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2006, according to the committee report on this bill.

In 2005, the VA transferred $452 million from its Medical Facilities account to its Medical Services account. I would like to replenish the VA Medical Facilities account a little, if it's possible to do in a fiscally responsible way. This amendment provides the opportunity to do so, by taking money from an ineffective and mismanaged program--the Americorps National Civilian Community Service Corps program--and providing it for veterans health care.

Mr. President, my amendment would make some resources available to carry out the Secretary's Capital Asset Realignment for Enhancement Services, or CARES, decision, which mandated that 156 priority community-based clinics be established by 2012.

As I said, talking about AmeriCorps, Senator Mikulski has described the overall AmeriCorps Program as ``like Enron's nonprofit.''

What has been said by GAO--they described it as they have been living on the edge, with tracking based on projections instead of real accounts.

My amendment simply helps us understand that the budget process is about making choices, about setting priorities, and that providing assistance for this program under the VA health care and using as an offset to pay for it this AmeriCorps Program, which has already been funded at $900 million this year, and, as I have described, has been described by many, including those on the other side of the aisle, as a program that has serious management problems, serious financial accounting and tracking problems.

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