Lynn C. Woolsey: “in Iraq our Nation is creating 300,000 new war veterans. As these future veterans are fulfilling their duty to America…”

“in Iraq our Nation is creating 300,000 new war veterans. As these future veterans are fulfilling their duty to America in time of war, we must commit to fulfill our responsibilities to them in times of peace. But instead, the Bush administration recently saved $388 million by eliminating 174,000 veterans from eligibility in the VA health care systems. Some might say that that is fiscally responsible; but I say it is absolutely dishonorable. While we are warring in Iraq, this House is engaged in a debate on whether to give Americans who earn more than $1 million a year a tax cut of almost $90,000 each, while just two months ago President Bush decided that veterans earning more than $29,000 a year do not need America's help getting health care. Where are our priorities? Giving money to the richest of the rich while taking services from the bravest and sometimes the poorest is unacceptable. Giving the wealthiest Americans extra spending money should not be the first priority of this House. But making sure we give every veteran health coverage must be. It seems like the priorities of this Congress are all wrong. We have forgotten about responsibility, morality, and justice. We have forgotten our commitment to our men and women in uniform. We have forgotten about human dignity. Finding money for veterans programs is not impossible. It is a matter of priorities. We can pay for concurrent receipt, but not if we pass a huge tax cut for the wealthiest of the wealthy.”