Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Kasich budget and in opposition to the Clinton budget. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the budget resolution before us today. In large respect, it replicates the administration's budget for veterans. It is the first real Clinton budget for veterans and there are no two ways about it. It is an outrage and travesty for veterans and the VA. The Budget Committee has not improved on the President's request. Both the President's and the Democrat's budget plans are dead wrong. Their implication, of course, is that veterans are better served by cutting back on spending for veterans' programs. It hasn't happened in the past and don't expect it in the future. I know my colleagues want to know if we are doing as much as we can for veterans. We are not. This budget is short in nearly every category. It is severely lacking in resources necessary to make the VA health care system competitive with the private sector under the Clinton Health Security Act. It undermines all claims to maintaining a separate independent system which could credibly be expected to compete for veteran patients. The almost cavalier attitude toward making any significant progress on the claims processing backlog invites future litigation for denial of due process. On the medical care side, it's a blueprint for health care decline. The budget doesn't keep pace with costs.”