Walter Reed Scandal Shows Administration’s Misplaced Priorities

I believe that the failure of the Walter Reed Hospital to provide quality care to our wounded G.I.'s is a direct result of the misplaced priorities of the Bush Administration and the previous Republican majority in Congress.  Veterans’ healthcare should be at the top of our nation’s priorities, especially in time of war when the number of injured servicemen and women has skyrocketed more than 80 percent over the last five years.  In the last Congress, top priority was given to extravagant tax cuts for the richest 1% of income earners instead of providing adequate healthcare to our men and women in uniform who have been injured or wounded.  When our nation sends our military men and women overseas we have a responsibility to not only support them in war, but also to care for them after they return home.

I have included below an editorial I wrote prior to the scandal at Walter Reed on funding veterans’ healthcare by rolling back tax cuts. 

Fund Veterans Services-- Not the Tax Cut for Top 1 Percent

By Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ)

President Bush's tax cuts for the top 1 percent of income earners should have never been approved because they have compounded our nation's dire budgetary straits. Thanks in part to these tax cuts the federal government does not have sufficient money to pay for veterans' healthcare or ensure that our troops in the field have the latest armor and equipment, let alone reduce healthcare costs by covering the uninsured or help provide retirement security to the 69 million Americans without pensions.  That is why, as a step toward fiscal responsibility, I support immediately rolling back the tax cuts for the top 1 percent. I frankly believe we should consider rolling back tax cuts for people making over $200,000 per year, about the top five percent.

In 2007, we have a federal budget deficit of $172 billion that grows to $362 billion if Social Security and Medicare surpluses are excluded.  I recently accepted a seat on the House Budget Committee because I am extremely concerned about this situation and want to work with my colleagues to help find a solution. 

By eliminating the tax cut for the top 1 percent, we would save $66 billion a year over the next 10 years. As much of this savings as possible should be dedicated to reducing the deficit. This, combined with the newly-restored pay-as-you-go budget rules that require new or increased spending to be offset by equivalent spending cuts, could cut the deficit in half in two years. At that point, we would have the financial flexibility to begin honoring our veterans with our deeds--not just our words--and to address healthcare costs, education funding and other issues that are critical for our economic future.

If we do nothing, we will continue to finance our debt by borrowing from countries like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.  According to the House Budget Committee, the level of foreign-held debt has skyrocketed under this Administration - from $1 trillion in January 2001 to $2.2 trillion in November 2006.  These foreign investors, including foreign governments, have purchased 75 cents of every dollar of new debt since 2001. We will also be unable to save Social Security, whose outlays will exceed income excluding interest by 2017 and all income by 2027. By 2040 all of its assets will be exhausted.  Service on the debt - net interest paid - is one of the fastest growing items in the budget.

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