IMPEACH BUSH

Opposition from the Bush administration will not stop the Senate from passing a $109.2 billion funding bill for veterans' programs and military construction.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., acting chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for the bill, said a $4 billion increase over the Bush administration's request would go mostly to boost veterans' health care programs. He called it "an obvious response to spiraling health care needs."

On Monday, the White House's Office of Management and Budget issued a policy statement opposing the Senate bill. Using language similar to its statement opposing the House version of the bill, White House budget officials said they would not recommend a veto of this bill, S 1645, but would make such a recommendation for appropriations bills covering other federal agencies if the increase for veterans' programs is not offset by spending cuts in other programs.

"Funding for our troops, past and present, should not be held hostage to Congress' attempts to provide irresponsible increases in domestic spending," the White House statement said.

The threat of vetoing other bills is tantamount to a veto threat of the veterans' funding bill itself, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

When it comes to supporting veterans, "it is very clear this administration has failed," she said. "Now we have made real progress."

The Senate began debate on the bill Tuesday and expects to pass it today. Reed said he hoped House and Senate negotiators could work out a compromise version so that it could be signed into law by Oct. 1, the start of fiscal 2008.

Overall, the bill would provide $18.2 billion more for veterans' programs, military construction and military housing than is available this fiscal year, with most of the increase stemming from a larger request by the Bush administration.

The Department of Veterans Affairs would get $87.5 billion, $3.6 billion more than the administration sought. Murray said the increase almost matches the budget levels proposed by major veterans' groups in what is known in veterans' circles as the "independent budget."

Under the bill, the Veterans' Benefits Administration would receive $44.6 billion, including $1.3 billion to hire more federal workers to process disability and other claims. The Veterans Health Administration would get $37.2 billion, while $5.4 billion would go to administrative costs for the VA and $217 million to the national cemetery system.

The bill also includes $8.9 billion for construction on active-duty bases, $929.9 million for construction of National Guard and reserve facilities and $2.9 billion for construction of family housing.

"This increase in funding is a major victory for our veterans, soldiers and their families," said Reed, a former Army Ranger who serves on the armed services and appropriations committees. "The money in this bill will help address the health needs of our service members and allow the VA to accelerate its efforts to clear the current backlog of processing of benefits claims."

Without such an increase, Reed said, care for veterans injured in combat in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan might come at the expense of reduced care for older veterans.