Angie Craig: “I will be brief, only to amplify what Senator Burr spoke to clearly and, I hope, understandably. First and foremost…”

“I will be brief, only to amplify what Senator Burr spoke to clearly and, I hope, understandably. First and foremost, understand that my relationship with the chairman of Veterans' Affairs Committee, Danny Akaka, is a personal one and one of great affection. Here is a man today attempting to do the right thing and probably, in all fairness, is leading with his heart, and that I respect greatly. There is no question, there remain in the Philippines 13,000 veterans who fought gallantly to save their island from Japanese domination and fought with us and under our flag to do just that. They deserve to be compensated, and they have been compensated. Immediately following the war, the United States Government put $620 million into the repairs of the Philippines. In today's dollars, that is $6.7 billion. Then we left a VA hospital in place so that these veterans could receive first-class health care. And we did and they do and it is still there and it is still operating. Then we added $22 million--and that is worth $196 million in today's dollars--for equipment and construction. America did its part then, and it does its part today. The question is what is reasonable and right compensation. I stepped down as ranking member on the Veterans' Affairs Committee last September. In doing so, I was well aware of this bill, and the chairman knew at that time that I agreed with 99.9 percent of it. It is a good bill.”