Jay Rockefeller: “within the conference report on the interior appropriations bill is an essential provision to provide $1.5 billion to…”

“within the conference report on the interior appropriations bill is an essential provision to provide $1.5 billion to address the current shortfall in funding for VA health care. The Interior appropriations conference report was selected as the quickest legislative vehicle to address this immediate and compelling lack of funding for VA. With our country in combat in various regions around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan, it is greatly disturbing that the VA is facing such a severe shortfall. I am proud that the Senate prevailed in securing the $1.5 billion needed to respond to urgent health care needs of veterans now--both veterans returning from current conflicts and aging veterans needing long-term care. While we are addressing this compelling need today, this crisis could have--and should have--been averted. The administration should have proposed a better budget for VA in February of 2005. The administration could have supported Senator Murray's amendment to the Iraq supplemental in April of 2005 to add $1.97 billion for VA health care. Neither happened, and it is troubling that VA blames use of old models and early estimates on VA health care needs beginning in 2002. Our heroic service men and women have been serving in Iraq since 2003, and the VA budget officials should have known to rework and review the VA health care budgets.…”