Political Quotes

“as the now ranking member on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I must make my fellow Senators aware of the impact of the proposed across-the-board cut in the appropriations for the executive branch for fiscal year 2003 on the Department of Veterans Affairs and its ability to provide health care and benefits to our Nation's veterans. Yesterday morning we were talking about a 1.6 percent cut, of which VA's share would be over $424 million. But let me put that in context. That would have meant that 125,000 fewer veterans will be seen in VA's hospitals, that 250 benefits claims adjudicators would lose their jobs. And it would mean that a hiring freeze would be in place across the VA. These cuts are being put into place at a time when there are 235,000 veterans waiting over 6 months for an appointment at VA. It takes an average of 200 days for a veterans disability claim to be decided. But today we are talking about a 2.9 percent cut across the board. VA has not computed what this will mean to America's veterans yet. Let me be more specific, so that my colleagues can understand the consequence of this decision. The proposed 2.9 percent cut would cost the Veterans Health Administration almost $695 million of the $2.4 billion increase VA health care was slated to receive.”