Costa Denounces House Leadership for Slashing Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON,D.C.- Criticizing theHouse Leadership for blatant neglect of Military Members and Veterans CongressmanJim Costa, D-Fresno, said, "The actions today, symbolize the short-sightednature with which the Leadership of the House of Representatives has approachedour nation's spending habits."

"Over $500 million in funds were cut from the MilitaryQuality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007 -a proposal President Bush supported," Costa noted. At the same time, he pointed out, "The House Leadershipfavored over $228 billion in tax cuts."

Before the bill was up for vote, Costa and other Housemembers circulated a letter requesting support for the recommended $85 millionfor the State Extended Care Facilities Grant Program. In the letter sent to the Chairs and RankingMembers of the House Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and VeteransAffairs and Senate Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs,Costa and his colleagues indicated the need for funding, specifically in California. "Our home state of California has more than 2.3 millionresidents who are veterans," the letter declared. The lawmakers went on to call attention tothe sad fact that, "Many of the men and women who served our country in uniformnow find themselves in need for basic healthcare and housing."

"In California,veterans are forced to endure a two-year waiting list to join one of thestate's three veterans' homes," Costa declared. The obvious consequence of such a long waiting period is that manyveterans pass away before they are ever admitted.

The $85 million that would have been provided to California for the StateExtended Care Facilities Grant Program in the Fiscal Year 2007 Military Qualityof Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act would have provided funding to constructand maintain extended care facilities. Costa admonished the House Leadership for its lack of concern for ournation's Veterans, "In the legislation that passed the house, however, fundingfor all of the California projects was cut,"the Fresnolawmaker stated.

Costa concluded, "Today, the House leadership turned a blindeye to the women and men who have supported our very way of life . . . theyshould be ashamed of their priorities."

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