Bob Filner: “I rise to voice my concern about the budget resolution before us today. As a Member of the House Veterans' Affairs…”

“I rise to voice my concern about the budget resolution before us today. As a Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am especially concerned about the amount of funding included in the budget resolution for our Nation's veterans. This Republican budget is woefully short of what is needed, and I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic budget alternative. Our alternative provides $32 billion more than the Republican budget over the next 10 years for veterans. This means providing $17 billion more for veterans' health care and rejecting the Republican cut of $15 billion for mandatory veterans' programs, programs like service-connected disability compensation, pensions, survivors' benefits, vocational rehabilitation, educational and burial benefits. I cannot imagine even thinking about cuts to compensation for our disabled veterans! The Democratic budget is supported by the authors of the Independent Budget, a budget created by veterans' service organizations who are on the front lines and in a position to know exactly what is needed. They call the Democratic alternative 'a solid step forward in meeting the very real needs of veterans.'”