Money for Veterans Health Care

MONEY FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE -- (House of Representatives - February 15, 2005)

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday President Bush submitted his $82 billion budget for the Iraq supplemental proposal, yet he did not request in that proposal a single dollar to pay for veterans services.

Tens of thousands of our troops will be returning home this year, and yet the VA system is already greatly unfunded, with long waiting lists for services for soldiers and their families. President Bush's supplemental proposal and his budget have failed our Nation's veterans.

Now, it is the responsibility of this body, of this Congress, to make sure that our returning soldiers and their families get the health care services they deserve.

Today, I have been joined by over 50 colleagues in sending a letter to the President and to members of the Committee on Appropriations requesting that the $82 billion supplemental bill include an additional $1.3 billion to provide for our returning soldiers and their families.

This proposal has been endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America, the National Military Families Association, and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the right thing. If we can find $80 billion to send to Iraq, then for goodness sake we can find $1.3 billion to take care of our soldiers and their families.

If we do not do this, what kind of message are we sending to the brave men and women who have served this country? I hope Members on both sides of the aisle will join me in this effort and that the President himself will see fit to support it as well.

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