Kay Bailey Hutchison: “the amendment is on behalf of myself and Senator Burns. This second-degree amendment basically says that the funds…”

“the amendment is on behalf of myself and Senator Burns. This second-degree amendment basically says that the funds available in the Akaka amendment would only be expended if the President requests of Congress such an emergency expenditure. I certainly understand that the veterans need to have all of the money that would cover their legitimate health care costs. That is exactly what we have done in the underlying appropriations bills from last year and this year. In fact, the Veterans' Administration, after we put $1.5 billion in emergency spending in the health care account last year, is 4.3 percent below last year's spending level. That is because they now have better modeling for what is forecast to be needed in the medical care-medical service area. In the mental health area that is covered by the Akaka amendment, there is already $2.8 billion from the 2006 budget which is $386 million over the 2005 level. The 2006 medical care account has $31 billion, and that is $1.1 billion over the 2005 level. We have also added supplemental expenditures over the 2006 budget. I think the prudent thing for us to do is to allow this money to be made available only if the President and the Veterans' Administration request it, and that is exactly what my amendment does. I ask for support of the amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.”