John Drake: “This is day 74. That is 74 days since the start of the new fiscal year. Our veterans still do not have access to the…”

“This is day 74. That is 74 days since the start of the new fiscal year. Our veterans still do not have access to the increased funding provided in a bill that passed the House and Senate months ago and the President is waiting to sign. This bill includes increased funding to improve access to medical services for all veterans, new initiatives for mental health and PTSD, increased funds for improved medical facilities, and increased funding to assist homeless veterans, to name just a few. The Democrats have refused to move the bill forward. Our veterans have been operating on an extended shoestring budget since October 1. We now know that instead of moving the bill forward, the Democrats will instead pass more temporary funding that does not include this increased funding for our veterans. Then our veterans will be lumped together with other spending in a massive package. I'm calling on the Speaker to move the bill forward. I am calling on all Americans to contact their Representatives and tell the Democratic leadership to send a clean veterans appropriations bill to the President now.”