(KANSAS CITY, MO.) – Congressman Dennis Moore (KS-03) and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05) held a news conference on Wednesday to bring focus to the national budget and its effect on those who served and are serving in America’s armed forces.

“Increasing health care fees for retired personnel sends the wrong message to those in uniform, many of whom spend their career defending our country,”said Congressman Moore. “The healthcare commitments we made to our servicemen and women need to be fully funded in the budget. Instead the budget proposal cuts funds where they are needed most. This is no time to impose a veterans’ tax on those who served our nation."

The Administration’s fiscal year 2007 budget proposal, which was sent to Congress earlier this year, recommended imposing new or increased fees on veterans receiving health care through the Veterans Administration (VA), as well as higher premiums under the Department of Defense’s TRICARE system for military retirees. During consideration of the budget resolution, the Budget Committee, on which Congressman Moore serves, adopted an amendment that eliminated the increases through the VA, but rejected an amendment that would prevent the increase in TRICARE fees.

“Our federal government has a responsibility to its veterans. The brave men and women who have served in our armed forces have done all our nation asked of them and more. We said we would take care of them, and we should ‘keep the promise’,” said Congressman Cleaver.

The Congressmen also urged Congress to approve H.R. 4949, the Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX), would amend title 10 of the U.S. code, in order to prohibit increases in fees for military health care. Congressman Moore and Congressman Cleaver are both cosponsors of the bill, which has been endorsed by The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S.

The Senate passed its version of the FY2007 budget resolution, S.Con.Res. 83, on March 16, 2006. The House Budget Committee approved its version of the budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 376, on March 31, 2006, and the measure is expected to considered by the full House of Representatives in the next few weeks.