•HCON 312 RH 
(3) this resolution supports the efforts author-
ized in the America COMPETES Act, providing 
substantially increased funding above the President’s 
requested level for 2009, and increased amounts 
after 2009 in Function 250 (General Science, Space 
and Technology) and Function 270 (Energy); 
(4) additional increases for scientific research 
and education are included in Function 500 (Edu-
cation, Employment, Training and Social Services), 
Function 550 (Health), Function 300 (Environment 
and Natural Resources), and Function 370 (Com-
merce and Housing Credit), all of which receive 
more funding than the President’s budget provides; 
(5) because America’s greatest resource for in-
novation resides within classrooms across the coun-
try, the increased funding provided in this resolution 
will support initiatives within the America COM-
PETES Act to educate tens of thousands of new sci-
entists, engineers, and mathematicians, and place 
highly qualified teachers in math and science K–12 
classrooms; and 
(6) because independent scientific research pro-
vides the foundation for innovation and future tech-
nologies, this resolution will keep us on the path to-
ward doubling funding for the National Science 
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•HCON 312 RH 
Foundation, basic research in the physical sciences, 
and collaborative research partnerships, and toward 
achieving energy independence through the develop-
ment of clean and sustainable alternative energy 
technologies. 
SEC. 602. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON SERVICEMEMBERS’ 
AND VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE AND OTHER 
PRIORITIES. 
It is the sense of the House that— 
(1) the House supports excellent health care for 
current and former members of the United States 
Armed Services—they have served well and honor-
ably and have made significant sacrifices for this 
Nation; 
(2) this resolution provides $48,150,000,000 in 
discretionary budget authority for 2009 for Function 
700 (Veterans Benefits and Services), including vet-
erans’ health care, which is $4,888,000,000 more 
than the 2008 level, $3,602,000,000 more than the 
Congressional Budget Office’s baseline level for 
2009, and $3,232,000,000 more than the Presi-
dent’s budget for 2009; and also provides more dis-
cretionary budget authority than the President’s 
budget in every year after 2009; 
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(3) this resolution provides funding to continue 
addressing problems such as those identified at Wal-
ter Reed Army Medical Center to improve military 
and veterans’ health care facilities and services; 
(4) this resolution assumes the rejection of the 
health care enrollment fees and pharmaceutical co- 
payment increases in the President’s budget; 
(5) this resolution provides additional funding 
above the President’s inadequate budget levels for 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to research and 
treat veterans’ mental health, post-traumatic stress 
disorder, and traumatic brain injury; and 
(6) this resolution provides additional funding 
above the President’s inadequate budget levels for 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the 
speed and accuracy of its processing of disability 
compensation claims, including funding to hire addi-
tional personnel above the President’s requested 
level. 
SEC. 603. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON HOMELAND SECURITY. 
It is the sense of the House that— 
(1) this resolution assumes additional homeland 
security funding above the President’s requested 
level for 2009 and every subsequent year; 
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(2) this resolution assumes funding above the 
President’s requested level for 2009, and additional 
amounts in subsequent years, in the four budget 
functions—Function 400 (Transportation), Function 
450 (Community and Regional Development), Func-
tion 550 (Health), and Function 750 (Administra-
tion of Justice)—that fund most nondefense home-
land security activities; and 
(3) the homeland security funding provided in 
this resolution will help to strengthen the security of 
our Nation’s transportation system, particularly our 
ports where significant security shortfalls still exist 
and foreign ports, by expanding efforts to identify 
and scan all high-risk United States-bound cargo, 
equip, train and support first responders (including 
enhancing interoperable communications and emer-
gency management), strengthen border patrol, and 
increase the preparedness of the public health sys-
tem. 
SEC. 604. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING LONG-TERM 
FISCAL REFORM. 
It is the sense of the House that— 
(1) both the Government Accountability Office 
and the Congressional Budget Office have warned 
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