Kanjorski Stands with House Democrats, Forcing Republicans to Support Veterans
Vote Comes After Bush Administration Discloses More Than $1 Billion Shortfall in Budget for Veterans' Health Care

WASHINGTON - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) last night voted to add $975 million in emergency funding for veterans' health care to make up for the major budget shortfall created by the Administration. The vote occurred exactly one week after Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson finally admitted that the administration had underestimated the budget for veterans' health care for 2005 by more than $1 billion.

"After Democrats have repeatedly offered amendments and proposals for additional veterans' health care funding, it is high time that the Republican majority in Congress realized this is an urgent need. The budget shortfall is a disgrace to the Republican leadership because it did not have to happen. Just this week, Democrats offered three amendments that would have added funding for veterans' health care but were blocked by the majority," Congressman Kanjorski said. "We owe our veterans adequate funding for proper health care. The men and women who have served our country so honorably deserve nothing less."

On Wednesday, all 206 House Democrats and one Independent sent a letter to President Bush urging him to request $1.3 billion in funding to make up for the shortfall in veterans' health care. The text of the letter is attached.

The Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a $1.5 billion emergency funding bill introduced by Sen. Rick Santorum, who had previously voted against increasing veterans' funding three times as recently as in March and April. House Democrats will continue to seek additional fund to match the amount approved by the Senate.

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Facts about Democrats fighting for veterans:

In January 2003, the Bush Administration cut veterans health care for 164,000 veterans without service-connected disabilities. Through 2005, this has denied health care to more than 522,000 veterans.

In a rare move by a Cabinet member, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi in February 2004 told a House committee he had sought $1.2 billion more than President Bush was willing to put in the budget.

That same month, a bipartisan House Veterans' Committee called for an additional $2.5 billion in funding for veterans' health care in the 2005 VA budget.

On March 25, 2004, House Democrats offered an amendment that would add this $2.5 billion to fiscal year 2005 VA budget, but Republicans defeated it. Republicans passed a budget that contained a $1.3 billion shortfall for veterans' health care. 

In June 2004, Democrats offered a bill to increase veterans' health care by $1.3 billion, but Republicans voted it down. The bill would have improved health care, shortened waiting times at VA health care facilities, and provided critical mental health services resulting from wartime deployments.

On Sept. 29, 2004, Democrats again offered an amendment that would have added $1.3 billion for veterans' health care. Republicans again defeated it.

Despite media reports of shortfalls in the VA budget, newly appointed VA Sec. Nicholson testified on Feb. 16, 2005 that he was unaware of shortfalls.

The Bush Administration denied any shortfall in the veterans' health care budget. On April 5, Sec. Nicholson told a House Committee that the VA did not need supplemental funding.

In March, Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats to add $1.2 billion for veterans' health care into the $82 billion Iraqi Supplemental bill.

Democrats offered an amendment to provide $3.2 billion more than President Bush's budget for fiscal year 2006 for veterans' health care, and the Democratic budget included a $20.9 billion increase over five years.

The budget passed by the Republican-controlled Congress is $2 billion short of what is necessary to maintain veterans' health care at its current level this year, underfunds veterans' health care by $14 billion over the next five years, and cuts $798 million over the next five years. 

In May, House Republicans again blocked a Democratic amendment that would have provided $2.6 billion for veterans' health care for fiscal year 2006.

The Bush Administration finally acknowledged the shortfall of more than $1 billion for fiscal year 2005 on June 23. Twice the following day, House Democrats offered proposals for increases to the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill, but Republicans refused to allow it.

This week, Sec. Nicholson also acknowledged a shortfall in veterans' health care funding for fiscal year 2006. Still, in a June 29 New York Times article, Sec. Nicholson denied that a crisis exists.

Three times this week, Democrats offered amendments that would have added funding for veterans' health care in various appropriations bills under consideration by the House. Each time, Republicans blocked these proposals.   

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