On the Edwards-Evans-Stabenow Amendment to
VA-HUD Appropriations (H.R. 2684)

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Chet Edwards to add $730 million for veterans’ medical care in fiscal year 2000. This amendment, which the Republican members of the Committee on Rules failed to make in order under the rule assures America’s veterans of the health care they need delivered at a level of service they deserve.

To offset the cost of providing the additional funds for veterans’ health care, the Edwards amendment would have delayed implementation of a proposed cut in the capital gains tax for one year, a fraction of the nearly $800 billion tax cut passed by this House. I ask the members of this body, can’t Americans wealthy enough to benefit from this tax cut afford this small sacrifice to assure our veterans won’t have to deal with delays and barriers in their access to high-quality health care? The Edwards amendment is about our national priorities. Providing additional resources for our veterans medical care programs or delaying a tax break for the wealthiest Americans for one year. For me this choice is simple. I am strongly supporting the Edwards amendment for the same reasons I voted against the rule on this bill. This Congress needs to provide a higher priority to veterans medical care than tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

Earlier this year, the Committee on Veterans Affairs considered fiscal year 2000 funding for VA health care. Unfortunately, I was denied the opportunity to offer an amendment providing more funding than proposed by our Chairman. The Edwards Amendment will provide approximately the same increase in discretionary funding for VA next fiscal year, $2.4 billion, as I had earlier sought to provide. There remains a critical need for this significant increase in funding.

Our veterans know this. Their service organizations have steadfastly supported efforts to add funds to the VA health care budget. The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and Paralyzed Veterans of America sent letters to the Rules Committee in support of the Edwards amendment being made in order. A coalition of veterans’ groups had earlier supported the increased funding level I planned to propose to the VA Committee.

The last few years in VA health care system have been pivotal ones. VA has reformed its delivery system, bringing its acute care system into line with modern health care practice. But clinicians and patients alike have begun to cite waiting times and other problems with access to care that have been affected by this sea of change. I, and other Democratic Members met with members of the Administration to discuss this vital need. These meetings ultimately contributed to Democrats’ success in securing a revised plan offered by Vice-President Gore to add a billion dollars to the President’s FY 2000 proposal for VA health care and construction. I believe the President’s revised budget proposal was critical to bringing awareness of the emerging crisis confronting the veterans’ health care to Congress and I thank them for their willingness to hear the concerns of Members’ and take appropriate action.

There is still a case to be made for increasing the VA health care budget. Unfortunately just prior to the August District Work Period, this House voted for a rule that failed to protect the Edwards amendment being in order. This party-line vote is "déjà vu all over again" in helping us to help America’s veterans. I remain incredulous that this Congress would knowingly choose a brief delay in the capital gains tax cut over adding funding that will better assure high-quality veterans’ programs and I certainly understand why Republicans have thus far taken steps to avoid this debate.