Gillespie Montgomery: “I rise in support of this budget resolution. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend the gentleman from Minnesota, the chairman…”

“I rise in support of this budget resolution. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend the gentleman from Minnesota, the chairman of the Budget Committee, and all the members of the Budget Committee, for bringing this resolution to the floor. As my colleagues know, CBO estimated that the President's budget was $3.1 billion over the discretionary caps we established last year. As a result, almost all of the President's proposals to increase spending above the 1994 level had to be pared back by the Budget Committee. Proposed increases for the National Service Program, mass transit grants, and energy conservation programs had to be scaled back because of this problem. But the President's proposed increase of $500 million above the 1994 level for VA medical care was left intact. In addition, the Budget Committee has recommended that the VA's award-winning medical research program be increased by $41 million above the President's request. I want veterans to know that Chairman Sabo and members of his committee had to make some very tough decisions. Not only did they avoid taking any money out of the veterans budget to make up this $3.1 billion difference, they added $41 million for VA medical research. Although I believe the Budget Committee did what it had to do, I want Members to know that service to veterans is not going to get any better under this budget, and will probably get a little worse.”