138 DAYS, NO VETERANS BILL -- (House of Representatives - October 31, 2007)
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I come here today to continue my call on the leadership to move the Veterans appropriations bill forward.
As of today, we have gone 138 days in this Chamber with no action, no plan of action, and more importantly, no veterans bill. I am concerned that we have a $4.4 billion increase in veterans health care collecting dust on someone's desk in this very building. I suspect that there are many people here today and watching at home who are also troubled as well.
I'm proud that the veterans issues are not partisan. They never should be. I am also proud to be a member of a bipartisan Veterans Committee. I am not proud, however, that we have gone this long into the year without a single appropriations bill.
I call on the leadership of the House to get on the stick, get past whatever reason or strategy that is holding this important bill up, and get a clean bill to the President so we can deliver this money to these heroes to whom we owe so much.