Lawmakers Scrutinize VA Spending

[maddezmom]

By MARY DALRYMPLE, Associated Press Writer
21 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson asked lawmakers Thursday for an extra $975 million for veterans health care this year to fill a politically awkward shortfall revealed last week.

~snip~

The administration's budget asked lawmakers to spend $33.4 billion next year on veterans programs under congressional control. Lawmakers already planned to spend about $1 billion more than that, signaling their unwillingness to follow through on a presidential proposal to charge certain veterans a health care enrollment fee and increase copayments for prescription drugs.

~snip~

In the House, Rep. Bob Filner (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., told Nicholson he should resign.

In the Senate, Reid said the administration took a "path of denial that ultimately bordered on outright deceit" and said of Nicholson, "His qualifications are he was chairman of the national Republican Party. He's head of veterans benefits now."



more:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050630/ap_on_go_co/congress_veterans_19

[Rose Siding]

1. That's the remark Santorum criticized Reid about

and Reid blasted him!

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/063005/brief.html

Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) exchanged harsh words with Republican Conference Chairman Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) on the Senate floor yesterday, accusing him of practicing “crass politics.” In an unusually personal speech, Reid said, “I will not be lectured about civility by the junior senator from Pennsylvania who has repeatedly disrespected veterans.”

Earlier in the day, Santorum asked Reid to “show some leadership and some civility,” saying Reid had acted in a “partisan fashion” after Reid questioned the credentials of Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson on veterans issues.

[tsuki]

2. Give 'em Hell, Harry!