Date: 2007-01-31
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. �ALTMIRE. I want to tell a little story because I am really pleased that you raised this issue. and that you have been the champion of ensuring that we dont. as we move through what is an unfortunate but necessary situation with this continuing resolution. I want to tell anyone listening a little story about an exchange that you and I had the other day on the House floor. I have the privilege of serving as a Chief Deputy Whip for the House Democratic Caucus. and you are one of my assignments. We divide the House Democratic Caucus members up into groups. and you are included among the Members that I am typically engaged in lobbying. And when I approached you about whether you were going to be supportive of the continuing resolution that we voted on today. your immediate response. which was the right one. was. well. not if we are cutting money for veterans. And I was really proud that you did that and that you were absolutely not going to move forward on your support for the continuing resolution unless you were able to get the information that you needed to ensure that. in fact. not only were we not cutting funding for veterans but. we in fact. increased funding for veterans. And so the notation in your hometown paper was apt and appropriate. and I commend you for your advocacy because that is what this is .all about. The new direction that the American people demanded. that they chose on November 7 included selecting people like you to send to Washington to make sure that when there was no one standing up. we certainly were all standing up united as a minority. but that there were not enough people in this body standing up for veterans. On the contrary. as you just outlined through the charts in a chronological way. the Republicans and the Republican administration were doing the opposite. were actually making it more difficult for veterans to get the services that they need and that they were entitled to and that they deserved through their patriotism and devotion to this country. So I commend you on that. We were in a situation in adopting the continuing resolution today that was the result of the mess. as you said. that the Republicans handed us. I mean. how irresponsible to just not complete nine of the 11 appropriations bills. I sit on the House Appropriations Committee now. I am just at the beginning of that process. but it is mind boggling to me. how. really. I mean. the Constitution says the only thing we have to do. the only thing Congress has to do is pass the budget. And they didnt do it. They didnt do it because it is hard. It is difficult. You have to make tough decisions. And you know. right up in front of an election. where they were struggling as it was. they didnt want to make those difficult decisions. And we have a lot of our Members. some in tough districts that are going to have to go home and have to answer some difficult questions. because obviously you know. we didnt like everything that we had to do. But if we didnt go forward and try to get to the 2008 budgetary process and make sure we could do right by the people in this country. then we would have been in an even worse mess. So kudos to you for standing up for veterans and for adding another voice on their behalf where there wasnt one before. And if the gentleman from Connecticut wanted to jump in I would be happy to yield to him.