Kirk Watson: “Mr. Speaker, our Armed Forces have now been at war for almost 2 weeks. Over 40 members of the coalition have paid the…”

“Mr. Speaker, our Armed Forces have now been at war for almost 2 weeks. Over 40 members of the coalition have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Scores of others have been injured. Sadly, there is no doubt in our minds that U.S. casualties of war will rise, even as we all pray for their swift and safe return. Later this week, each of us will be asked to support a $75 billion supplemental appropriation. In part, it will pay for the war effort. A few weeks ago, we were asked to support a budget, minus money for the war effort, that drastically reduced funding for the veterans health care and other benefit programs, a cut of $28.8 billion over 10 years; and today, we have been asked to support a motion to send to conference the same flawed Republican budget that slashes veterans benefits in order to preserve President Bush's tax cuts for wealthy Americans. In effect, we have been asked by President Bush and the Republican leadership to support funding for the war, support tax cuts for the wealthy and, at the same time, to drastically cut back our soldiers' benefits once they return from the battlefield in Iraq. And even more cruel, we have been asked by the President and Republican leadership to reduce survivor benefits, those that go to the spouses and the children of our service people who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, as others have said, there is no honor in this approach.”