San Francisco War Memorial Veteran's Commission celebrates annual POW Commemoration Day, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC -- "An officer's word is his bond," said Rep. Robert Simmons, one of the few Republican crossovers on a mostly party line vote attempting to overturn a rule that squelched consideration of two amendments that would have added significant funds for veterans' health care to the level Congress promised.

Two amendments which added these funds were considered by the powerful Rules Committee late Thursday evening. One-offered by the Chairman Christopher H. Smith and Lane Evans, the Ranking Democratic Member of the Veterans Affairs Committee had the support of Simmons, the Chairman of the Committee's Health Subcommittee, and Ciro Rodriguez, the Ranking Democratic Member of the Health Subcommittee-would have added $1.8 billion to veterans health care. This was the same level Congress resolved to add in final passage of the Budget Resolution (H.Con.Res. 95). Some Rules Committee members commented on the extraordinary bi-partisan coalition.

Another amendment supported by Chet Edward (D-TX) and David Obey (D-WI) would have added $2.2 billion to veterans health care from a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.

Neither of the amendments was protected under the rule by which the VA-HUD Appropriations Bill was considered. Ultimately the VA-HUD Bill passed without the necessary increases.

The amendment cosponsors all agreed that the VA-HUD Bill was grossly deficient. The House VA-HUD appropriations bill closely reflected the Bush Administration budget for Department of Veterans Affairs medical care, but did not include proposed increases in medication copayments or a new enrollment fee. While veterans were pleased that new cost-sharing measures were defeated, the funds these copayments were expected to generate were not replaced, leaving another large gap in the bill.

The Smith-Evans Amendment coalition agreed that $1.8 billion could help fill the serious gaps in the budget. In a handout developed by Smith he indicated $1.8 billion could be used to restore funds needed to replace the proposed copayments, to restore nursing home beds, and to shore up the aging health care infrastructure.

Evans commented on troops who are serving and beginning to come home, "Sadly, these have not been bloodless wars. Many of these brave men and women will now rely upon VA for their health care. They do not deserve delayed or rationed services." Evans did not support the rule and did not support final passage of the VA-HUD bill.

"I cannot vote on a bill that breaks our promises to veterans," said Evans.

Veterans' groups have decried Congress's failure to honor the Budget Resolution. A July 23, 2003, letter from four major veterans service organizations stated: "Providing a wholly inadequate $1.4 billion increase calls into question all of the press releases we have read, and news conferences we have attended touting this Congress' level of commitment to the men and women who have served this Nation."