Conference Report on H.R. 2361, Department of the Interior Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2361, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 29, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. JEB HENSARLING
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2005

Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss funding for veterans' healthcare. As the son, grandson, and brother of veterans, I understand just how important this funding is to our brave men and women who have answered the call of duty to serve their country. Since coming to Congress, it has been one of my greatest pleasures to be able to provide our veterans with the care and the treatment they deserve.

Since 1995, Congress has increased spending on veterans by more than 59 percent--an average increase of 6.9 percent per year. During this Congress alone we have increased the death benefits and life insurance coverage of our Armed Services personnel. We have also provided funding for specialty mental health care for the first time ever, increased funding for the treatment of conditions like Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and doubled funding for mental health care issues. This is indeed a record to which we can all be proud.

I was also proud to cosponsor H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act, in the 108th Congress. With the agreement of the House and Senate, another version of this bill was passed and signed by President Bush in order to allow certain military retirees to receive both their longevity retired pay and veterans disability compensation. As Speaker of the House J. DENNIS HASTERT noted, ``Congressman HENSARLING's strong support for our nation's veterans and concurrent receipt legislation was critical to ensuring that we achieved the most significant, positive step forward for veterans in our nation's history.''

Unfortunately, sometimes Congress can fall short. For instance, the Fiscal Year 2004 Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, fell $1.8 billion short of what was agreed to in that year's budget resolution. This inadequate level for funding for veterans healthcare greatly concerned me, and that is why I voted against the bill. When thousands of veterans were waiting 6 months or longer for healthcare, I did not believe that it was the time to skimp on needed resources.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House of Representatives voted on the Fiscal Year 2006 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Included as part of this legislation was $1.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover an anticipated budgetary shortfall for the current fiscal year. I am very pleased that the House of Representatives has approved the funding necessary to ensure that they receive the medical care they deserve. However, because the underlying legislation to which we attached this important provision violated the budget we agree to abide by earlier this year, I found myself in the difficult position of having to vote against this legislation.

There were a number of alternative methods that could have been used to alleviate this problem--methods that would not have violated the budget. Most notably, we could have amended H.R. 3130, which was approved unanimously by the House of Representatives on June 30, 2005, to provide the necessary funding levels. This broadly supported measure would have demonstrated our firm commitment to our veterans, and it is unfortunate this alternative was not utilized.

Mr. Speaker, in the end the greatest threat to adequately funding the needs of our veterans is Congress' seemingly inherent inability to control runaway wasteful spending in our budget. Each and every time we spend another dollar on wasteful measures like bulletproof vests for K-9s, bridges to nowhere, or an underground cafeteria in the Carlsbad Caverns, is a dollar that is not available for our veterans.

One of Congress's most solemn obligations is to care for our veterans. I remain committed to funding 100 percent of the benefits veterans have earned through their service and sacrifice to our country. I will continue to work with Members of Congress to explore ways to ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs gets the money they need within the rules of our budget agreement. I will not however, support legislation to grow the budget of another department, such as this bill would have done with the Department of the Interior, at the expense of our veteran's and our children's future.

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