| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today faulted the Republicans
for denying veterans the health care and benefits they deserve. Republicans
on the Rules Committee did not allow the House the opportunity to vote
on two amendments. One amendment would have increased the funding
for veterans’ health care to the levels promised in the budget resolution
passed earlier this year. The other would have provided an additional
$2.2 billion for VA medical care by reducing the recently-passed tax cuts
for taxpayers with yearly incomes in excess of a million dollars.
The
full text of Schakowsky’s Congressional Record statement is below:
The
Real Meaning of Respect
Mr.
Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition and my outrage over the
rule designed to govern the debate over the FY04 VA-HUD Appropriations
bill. This rule, by not allowing two amendments to be made in order,
severely restricts the ability of this body to take care of its obligations.
These two amendments, one by Representative Smith of New Jersey and Representative
Evans of Illinois would have increased the funding for veterans’ health
care to the level that we promised in the budget resolution passed earlier
this year. The other, by Representative Edwards of Texas, would have
provided an additional $2.2 billion for VA medical care by reducing the
recently-passed tax cuts for taxpayers with yearly incomes in excess of
a million dollars. Both amendments were shutdown by the Rules Committee
on a party line vote. I am shocked that the House Republican leadership
would make such a choice, but I am not surprised.
Repeatedly,
we have seen the Republicans in this body choose to break their promises
to millions of Americans so that they can give tax cuts to the already
wealthy. They passed a Labor, Health and Human Services and Education
Appropriations bill that left millions of children behind by failing to
live up to their promise to provide enough funding to ensure that every
child would receive a decent education. And now my colleagues on
the other side of the aisle have turned their backs on veterans so that
they can give their rich friends a slap on the back. I have heard
my colleagues from the other side of the aisle speak at length about their
deep respect for the service our veterans have performed for our country.
But, I must ask if breaking promises to our veterans is the Republican
way of showing them that respect. Is it respectful to mouth the words
of respect while allowing our veterans to wait months for doctors’ appointments
and pay more for services?
These
amendments offered a very clear choice: would you rather provide enough
money to ensure that veterans receive decent healthcare services or would
you rather provide massive tax cuts that benefit millionaires? Who
really cares about our nation’s veterans? Who is really concerned
about the people who have honorably served our country? Our
veterans can not afford any more empty respect. I ask my colleagues
to put the money where their mouths our and make the financial commitment
to get veterans and their families the benefits they deserve.
I
urge my colleagues to vote against this rule, to work to fulfill our obligations
to our veterans and to show them our real respect. |
