Marty Walsh: “Mr. Chairman, on the points that the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) made, and I understand his commitment is…”

“Mr. Chairman, on the points that the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) made, and I understand his commitment is very strong to America's veterans, as are all Members. Just to set the record straight, we provided the President's request level for veterans cemeteries. That is a $5 million increase over the 1999 enacted level. So we actually did increase the budget for veterans cemeteries. As regards the request for emergency designation, we did do that, but we requested the $1.7 billion increase that was authorized by the committee, and that is consistent with what the veterans authorizing committee suggested and the budget document requested, and we were not given emergency designation. What we were given was an actual $1.7 billion in real dollars to increase the veterans health care budget. So I think it shows a substantial commitment on the part of the subcommittee and the full Committee on Appropriations, and we will take on that mantle of being veterans advocates; if the Executive Branch will not, we will do that.”