U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) expressed outrage with the newly released Republican budget and how it affects veterans. "Our newest veterans are being welcomed home from abroad by Republicans cutting their benefits and increasing their co-payments," Rahall said. "Then they have the nerve to send that extra money back abroad to foreign countries."

Leading veterans' groups are attacking the budget and say that the overall cuts to Veterans' Administration (VA) will cause many services to come to an end or be limited. This cut in the budget could cause some VA hospitals and clinics to limit services. Congressman Rahall will submit a statement to the House of Representatives to voice his outrage over the VA budget.

Thomas P. Cadmus, national commander of the 2.7 million-member American Legion said, "Veterans' health care is an ongoing expense of war. You don't thank veterans for serving their country and then tell them, 'By the way, better not get wounded or you'll have to pay extra for your health care.' This is offensive to every veteran in America. That is why this government must move VA health care out from under the umbrella of discretionary spending to mandatory spending."

The American Legion has requested a $3.5 billion increase in health care spending in FY 2006. The President is proposing $22.8 billion in foreign aid, about $3.1 billion more than the current level.

"As young Americans in uniform battle terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as 119 other countries, it is incomprehensible that our veterans will pay for the shortfall in VA health care funding from their own pockets as tax dollars flow out the back door of America," Cadmus said.

"This type of behavior is unacceptable," said Rahall. "The Republicans talk about supporting veterans, but when it comes down to it they don't blink an eye to cut funding and send the extra money overseas. Our young men and women are serving our country, but their benefits and services are being cut to help other countries instead."

The proposal would increase many veterans' co-payment for prescription drugs from $7 to $15. This would be the second significant increase in co-payments for veterans that the Republican Party has pushed through in the last five years. Additionally, the budget calls for some veterans to pay a $250 a year "user fee" to get the benefits of government health care. The Administration says that the extra fee would be charged to veterans in lower-priority categories.

"Once again, the Republicans are trying to categorize our Veterans into different groups, some of which get better benefits than others," continued Rahall. "I am fighting to ensure all veterans are being treated equally and fairly - it is the least we can do to honor their service. I will never divide our veterans, because as we all know, united we stand and divided we fall."