CRAWFORD, TEXAS — President Bush said Saturday that Congress’ Democratic leaders should celebrate Veterans Day by passing a spending bill covering programs for veterans.
“Congressional leaders let the fiscal year end without passing this bill they know our veterans need,” Bush said in his weekly radio address. “The time to act is running out. … The best way members of Congress can give thanks to our veterans is to send me a clean bill that I can sign into law.”
Bush’s dig at Democrats didn’t tell the whole story.
Congress has never delivered to Bush a Department of Veterans Affairs spending bill by Veterans Day, even when Capitol Hill was run by Republicans. And even veterans groups have been reluctant to criticize this year’s Congress for the delay, because they are thankful for large budget increases already engineered by Democrats since they assumed the majority in January. They added $3.4 billion to the veterans’ budget in February and $1.8 billion in May.
Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania touted the party’s commitment to veterans.
“Democrats in Congress are working together with the president to see that veterans aging and young and their families receive the benefits they need and deserve,” he said in the weekly radio address for his party.
