Bill Clinton: “my cosponsor and I, Senator Enzi of Wyoming, are offering this amendment today, which is a bipartisan amendment. The…”

“my cosponsor and I, Senator Enzi of Wyoming, are offering this amendment today, which is a bipartisan amendment. The sponsors include Senators Murray, Grassley, Cantwell, Smith, Wyden, Schumer, Harkin, Stabenow, Kerry, Dodd, Lieberman, and Levin. Our amendment would prevent any spending directed toward closing or reducing services under the so-called CARES plan until this plan considers long-term care, domiciliary care, and mental health care, as well as rural health care issues. It would also offer veterans, many of whom have not been able to offer their views, a meaningful opportunity to participate in the CARES process. This amendment is supported by the American Legion, the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans, the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the American Federation of Government Employees. I want to be absolutely clear, this amendment does not affect, in any way, the CARES Commission or the VA moving forward on enhancing or increasing services for our veterans. It contains explicit language that allows enhancements under CARES to go forward. I know the Secretary of the Veterans' Administration, a very distinguished gentleman, certainly has made the case strongly to veterans service organizations and to my colleagues that this amendment would stop enhancements. It absolutely does not. The clear language makes it absolutely positive that we are not stopping enhancements. But what we are doing is saying: Wait a minute.…”