Bush Thanks Veterans, Then Cuts Their Health Care
President Bush spent the Memorial Day weekend thanking the nation's
veterans for their service, saying "we acknowledge the debt [we owe them]
by showing our respect and gratitude." [1] Yet, his rhetoric came just
hours after the Bush Administration announced new plans to slash veterans
health care funding if it returns to power in 2005.
Late last week, the Administration released a memo detailing a plan to cut
$1 billion from the Veterans Administration [2] in the first budget of its
second term. The cut would come even after the White House has tried to
close veterans hospitals throughout the country, [3] and has proposed
veterans health care budgets that have been criticized by veterans groups
and the President's own Veterans Affairs secretary. [4] It also comes
after the president decided to cut off 164,000 veterans from their
existing prescription drug coverage, [5] and threatened to veto [6] any
bill that would allow veterans to receive both the military pension they
were promised, and any disability compensation to which they are entitled.
Visit Misleader.org for more about Bush Administration distortion. -->
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2103488&l=38287
Sources:
1. Presidential Weekly Radio Address Speech, WhiteHouse.gov, 05/29/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2103488&l=38288.
2. "Democrats rip Bush's outline for cuts in domestic programs," Palm
Beach Post, 5/28/04, http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2103488&l=38289.
3. "VA Seeks Major Hospital Overhaul," CBS News, 8/05/03,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2103488&l=38290.
4. "President Bush's Veterans' Budget Called Woefully Inadequate and
Inexcusable," Senate Democratic Policy Committee, 2/12/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2103488&l=38291.
5. "VA Cuts Some Veterans' Access to Health Care," Washington Post,
1/17/03, http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2103488&l=38292.
6. " Bush Threatens Veto of Defense Bill," Washington Post, 10/7/02, p.A02.
===========================================================
.
|
