On the recordMarch 22, 2010
As we conclude this package of six bills that I think do so much for our Nation's veterans, this committee has been proud to work in a bipartisan way to get these bills to the floor. I would like to remind my colleagues that this committee, in the last 4 years, has, in fact, done a tremendous amount for our Nation's veterans. We have increased the health care budget by more than $20 billion, 60 percent increase in health care for our Nation's veterans. We've updated the GI bill and have a GI bill for the 21st century that about 200,000 students are taking advantage of in this first year of the bill. We are helping to improve access for our rural veterans, for our women veterans, and, as we show today, to make sure we bring an end to our homeless veterans. So we are very proud of the work that we are doing for the veterans that we are so proud of.
