Democrats slam budget cuts
for veterans' services
CNN
March 19, 2005
Pa. governor: Bush budget cuts for critical programs
'unconscionable'
(CNN) -- The governor of Pennsylvania on Saturday said the
federal government must do a better job helping America's war
veterans and criticized proposed budget cuts affecting them.
"During this time of war, it is absolutely the wrong time for
our federal government to step back from any of its commitments
to our veterans. To do so would be penny wise but pound foolish,"
said Gov. Ed Rendell in the weekly Democratic radio address.
"In today's parlance, the cost of health care for these vets
may be half a billion dollars but their sacrifice for our nation,
priceless," he said.
His remarks followed the weekly radio address of President
Bush, who defended the Iraqi invasion and operation and marked
its second anniversary. Rendell said that Pennsylvania and other
states have programs helping veterans and their families.
"While we the governors do all we can for our vets and our
returning soldiers, our federal government still has the primary
responsibility for meeting the needs of our veterans. And that's
why I find the president's budget cuts for critical veteran
services to be unconscionable."
He maintained that budget cuts include "a $350 million
reduction in veterans home funding, which wipes out at least
5,000 veterans' nursing home beds."
"If the president's proposed budget cuts are enacted,
nearly 60 percent of the 1,600 veterans will lose their daily
stipend that allows them to stay in our state's nursing homes,
literally forcing them out into the cold."
Vet co-payments for prescription drugs were tripled two years
ago, Rendell said, and "now the president is proposing to again
double those increased co-pays."
"In the midst of a war, when many new men and women will join
the legion of veterans, does it really make sense for the
president to increase the cost of vets' prescriptions by 100
percent?"
Rendell criticized a proposal calling for a $250 fee "to be
paid by every vet wishing to participate in the Veterans
Administration health care program. "
"There may well be some veterans who can afford to do so, but
can all vets come up with an extra $250 a year to pay for health
care? I doubt it."
He urged "every patriotic American" to contact their
legislators and protest budget cuts for veteran services.
Also, Rendell praised the thousands of returning troops who
"put their lives on the line" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Unlike any war in recent history, citizen-soldiers are
fighting this war. Forty percent of all the troops are from
National Guard units or reservists,"
Rendell said more than 69 Pennsylvanians have died in the
Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts and "since Sept. 11, 2001, more
than 14,000 Pennsylvania National Guard members have left the
comfort of their home to risk their lives for our security."
"The families of the brave service men and women from all 50
states now know for sure that their loved ones did not die in
vain. This war has reminded us of the solemn pledge our nation
makes to our veterans."
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