...for as long as it takes
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Bob Stump called passage of the House budget resolution for fiscal year 2000 "a great victory for veterans."
Stump (R-AZ), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, praised Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich (R-OH) for agreeing to an "unprecedented" $1.1 billion increase over the President's recommendations at a time when veterans needed it the most. The Clinton/Gore VA budget was opposed by the entire veterans' community and shunned even by Democrats. Nearly all parties agreed the Clinton/Gore budget seriously threatened the quality of VA health care and would not even keep pace with inflation.
"When we made the VA a cabinet-level department we thought veterans would have the president's ear," Chairman Stump said, "It certainly wasn't the case in the budget the White House sent to us this year. There was a spending wish list for some 70 programs in the State of the Union speech in January, but nothing for veterans."
"As historic as this increase is, I would have liked an even higher figure," said Stump, who had asked for $1.9 billion in additional spending, "We could have gotten it, too, with more of the bipartisanship we usually have on veterans' issues. But I'm encouraged by the fact that the Senate budget includes even more for veterans. That makes it possible to build on what we did in the House."
Stump said the House budget would prevent VA health care personnel employee layoffs, and the closure of needed programs and facilities threatened by the Clinton/Gore budget. He said it would permit increased funding for long-term care and treatment of the anticipated increase of hepatitis C among veterans.
"We made it clear we weren't going to balance the budget on the backs of veterans," Stump said, "We also made it clear that we weren't going to cheat future veterans, today's men and women in uniform, by gutting the defense budget to boost spending on veterans. That's robbing Peter to pay Paul. What the House did last night keeps us on track to balance the budget while doing what's right for veterans. I'm proud of that, and glad for veterans."
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