Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
Secretary West's defense of the Administration's budget dominated the
hearing, but satisfied neither committee members nor representatives of
veterans' and military groups who testified later.
Chairman Bob Stump (R-AZ) reminded those groups of his committee's dilemma.
It will be much more difficult to achieve increased funding for veterans, he
said, when the Administration didn't ask for more money for veterans'
medical care.
"Mr. Secretary," Chairman Stump said in his opening remarks, "your budget
identifies hundreds of millions of dollars needed for existing fixed costs,
new advanced treatments, and new initiatives to provide greater care for
veterans. Unfortunately, the Administration hasn't included any new funding
to address those needs."
Mr. Stump also questioned the VA's projection of savings from "unspecified
management initiatives." Ranking Democrat Member Lane Evans (D-IL) praised
several aspects of the budget but described the overall document as a "house
of cards," which "may work for a while but eventually this house of cards
will fall."
"This budget may underfund veterans' programs next year by as much as 2.5
billion dollars, possibly more," Mr. Evans said.
Stump and Evans both complained that Congress worked hard to elevate the old
Veterans Administration to a full, cabinet-level department in 1988 so that
an advocate for veterans would have the President's ear. Several committee
members asked Secretary West for more forceful advocacy on behalf of
veterans. Others wondered why he was unfamiliar with provisions of his own
budget.
Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Health,
disputed the credibility of the Administration's budget. He questioned if
Secretary West's own goals of reducing VA medical staff could be met and
whether his unnamed budget efficiencies will be completed in the face of
expanding needs at the Veterans Health Administration.
Later witnesses echoed the Committee's disappointment with the budget. The
second panel included Richard Fuller, national legislative director of
Paralyzed Veterans of America; David Gorman, executive director of Disabled
American Veterans; Veronica A'zera, national legislative director of AMVETS;
and Kenneth Steadman of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Those four organizations
have collaborated in their own annual "Independent Budget" the past 13
years. Their proposal calls for 3.26 billion dollars in veterans' funding
above the Administration request.
The final panel consisted of Larry Rhea, deputy director of legislative
affairs of the Non Commissioned Officers Association; and Carroll Williams,
director of the American Legion's National Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation
Commission.
Both Rhea and Williams agreed with Independent Budget panelists that the
Administration budget was woefully inadequate. Rhea questioned the
assumptions behind the budget. Williams reviewed the Legion's own spending
recommendations.
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