Pelosi and House Democrats Hold Discussion with Veterans' and Military Organizations
Pelosi and House Democrats Hold Discussion with Veterans' and Military Organizations
Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, Congressman Lane Evans of Illinois, ranking Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and leading House Democrats hosted a discussion with the leaders of several veterans' and military organizations this week.
President Bush's inadequate budget proposal for veterans' programs was the focus of concern for the leaders. Identifying access to benefits and health care as the top issues facing today's veterans, the veterans' groups said these challenges will only get more difficult over the coming years. The Democratic leaders pledged their full support in helping to erase barriers that prevent full access to the benefits they have earned.
"The budget should be a statement of our national values, but this budget is an assault on our values," Pelosi said. "One of our most sacred American values is to assist those who have answered the call and helped preserve our freedom -- our veterans."
The President's 2006 budget:
- Proposes to add co-payments and initiation fees on prescription drugs.
- Underfunds veterans' health care by $15 billion over five years.
- Slashes $351 million from veterans' nursing homes.
- Requires the nearly 400,000 military retirees with service-connected disabilities to continue to pay the Disabled Veterans Tax.
In addition, the President has refused to stand behind his own commitment to increase the benefit for families of servicemen and women who are killed in action.
Pelosi called President Bush's budget for veterans, "fiscally reckless, morally irresponsible, and a failure of leadership."
Rick Weidman, National Legislative Director for Vietnam Veterans of America: "We are grateful to Leader Pelosi and her leadership team for their continuing openness and their receptiveness to meeting with representatives of America's veterans of every generation. This open discussion at the very start of the 109th Congress speaks well of the Leader and her associates. We would all do well to adopt this genuine and open attitude of just wanting to do what is right for American veterans and their families in a nonpartisan way."
The Democrats and veterans' leaders agreed to continue holding regular meetings on veterans' affairs and to create task forces focused on specific issues.