Russ Feingold: “the Budget Committee is to be congratulated for their excellent work, and in particular for continuing the critical work…”

“the Budget Committee is to be congratulated for their excellent work, and in particular for continuing the critical work to reduce our deficit by requiring an additional $26 billion in cuts over the next 5 years. It is vital that we continue to make headway in this area, and build on the deficit reduction work begun by President Clinton in his landmark deficit reduction program. Though their overall effort is to be applauded, Mr. President, I take exception to some language included in the committee's report accompanying the concurrent resolution on the budget. In particular, the report language supporting the continued funding of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences [USUHS] is inconsistent with the overall intent of this resolution. Of course the language has no binding effect, but I feel the issue merits a response. Put most clearly, Mr. President, USUHS is not as cost effective as alternative sources of military physicians. The Department of Defense obtains almost all of their physicians from three sources--about 70 percent through the medical scholarship programs, about 20 percent from physicians who volunteer directly, and about 10 percent from USUHS. Of all of those sources, though, USUHS is the least cost effective. Mr. President, this is not only the conclusion of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget, it is the finding of the Department of Defense, the agency that runs USUHS.”