Bush: More money for VA requires other cuts

[sabra]

Source: ArmyTimes

White House budget officials said they won’t try to stop a possible increase in veterans’ spending proposed by the House of Representatives, but they have warned that spending bills for other federal agencies could be vetoed unless lawmakers make cuts in other programs to offset the increases for veterans.

The House veterans’ funding bill proposes a $6.7 billion increase over the current-year budget, which is $3.8 billion more than proposed by the Bush administration.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for veterans’ spending, said this is the biggest increase in 77-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and that it reflects a concern by lawmakers that veterans’ programs must be improved in time of war.

“This bill is about respect and honors the promises made to our veterans with historic increases in funding to provide them the health care and benefits they earned when they put on our nation's uniform,” Edwards said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/military_va_vetothreat_070614w/

[aquart]

1. No, dear. Just rescind the cuts.

[Kikosexy2]

8. End the Iraq ..

fiasco...bring our troops home...and no more war funding

[wakeme2008]

2. Fund VA cut Missle Defence

Simple :shrug:

[burrowowl]

26. YES!

To simple for Bu$hCo and Corporatists to understand!
Of course they don't want to! GREEDY LOW-LIFES!

[Fovea]

3. Ok Bushie cut the bullshit

cut the tax cuts for the rich.
Cut the defense budget by 75%.

Cut out all 'no-bid' contracts.

That ought to do it.

[ninkasi]

19. I agree

Roll back the tax cuts for the richest Americans, who are the ones reaping the benefits of Bush administration policies, and we can afford to take care of the troops Bush sent to fight an illegal, and un-winnable war. They are the ones who are reaping the benefits of this catastrophe, let them pay for it.

It is a travesty to send the sons and daughters of the shrinking middle, and lower class Americans, to fight a war to enrich Bush cronies. If they want this war so much, let them send their own children to fight it.

[partylessinOhio]

4. No, it don't. Just reverse those tax cuts for your friends.

Also cut out the war because it was based on lies and it is being charged to future generations by adding it to our debt to China.

:thumbsdown:

[damntexdem]

5. Great: cut the funding for the Iraq Occupation.

Everything but the funding to bring ALL of the troops home.

[Supersedeas]

22. holding the VA hostage except for Dimson's pet projects

[Auntie Bush]

6. I agree with bush! Cut the program that

gives the wealthiest people in America a tax break. Cut it to hell in shreds and shove it down his throat till he almost chokes to death and it feels like getting water boarded.

[MasonJar]

7. Hey, W, just cut out the war and the tax breaks for the top 1%.

[Bitwit1234]

9. Rescind the salaries of the bushies.

Oh wait a minute...cut Halliburton contracts, bush relatives contracts and all the henchmen of bushy's contracts.

[ananda]

10. How about no more war?

That would be a big cut.

[gratuitous]

11. Windfall profit tax on Big Oil?

After all, since we're at war and stuff, shouldn't the profiteers be anteing up?

[sakabatou]

12. .

[endarkenment]

13. Oh that is easy you brainless git: end the war, support the troops.

But will our spinless wonders even try to spin it this way? Heck no!

[Acadia Blue]

14. I have to stop reading the news. I can't take anymore. Goodness

knows what will happen by the end of his term. He is the most destructive president we have ever had.

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Bu**sh**!! nt

[VP505]

16. Excellent idea,

and the first thing to eliminate should be those tax reductions for the top 2% that Bu$h and his apologists in the congress were so generous with! Next good cut would be corporate welfare, I am sure that that one alone would provide enough to double VA funding!

[Toots]

17. How about finding the twelve billion in cold hard cash (shrinkwrapped $100 bills)

That somehow just disappeared and no one knows anything. 463 tons of hundred dollar bills all shrinkwrapped and loaded on pallets and shipped to Iraq in four huge C-5 Cargo jets. Just disappeared and no one knows anything...That's more than three times what Democrats are asking for...I believe this is the largest cash heist in America's history and the people don't even know they've been robbed...These guys are slick...

[Megahurtz]

18. How About CUT THE FUNDING TO ISRAEL!!!

:grr:

[Triana]

20. Stupid Cretin - how about we GET OUT OF IRAQ.. and CUT ...

HIS salary? Heck. Eliminate it!

[Oak2004]

21. And now watch Harry Reid spout "no, never"!

as the DLC "Democrats" acquiesce to Bush and vote to cut something unnecessary, like, oh, cancer research or food for the elderly.

[qwlauren35]

23. I was hoping that this was getting discussed...

It's over 6 weeks from the "Dole/Shalala" investigation. I've been waiting to hear the outcome because I have veterans in my family, and the Walter Reed situation disgusted me. Earlier today, I came across this link JUST on the inefficiency of evaluating soldiers for disability.

http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/05/29/gao-reports-to-doleshalala-commission-on-va-and-dod-disability-systems/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gao.gov%2Fnew.items%2Fd07906r.pdf&frame=true


The part that jumped out in my mind is that data is required to make an assessment, and some offices take ONE YEAR to hand over the data. Disgusting is not a strong enough word.

I hope others are paying attention to this. I would love to see it made into a MAJOR election issue...

[kestrel91316]

24. How about cutting your WAR budget, dumbass? And maybe cutting

your new weapons systems development while you're at it?

Stupidass.

[Vinca]

25. Somehow I think it's more likely he's suggesting taking food

from the mouths of hungry children. We know he'd never suggest those portfolio-watching people by the pool chip in. Or, worse yet, big oil.