Texas Democrat chastises Bush on vets' health care

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Source: AP

• House OKs $64.7 billion for Veterans Affairs, $3.8 billion more than Bush wanted
• Rep. Chet Edwards says White House threatened for weeks to veto bill
• Funds to help for vets with brain injuries, mental health problems, amputations

The Texas congressman who represents President Bush's home district said Saturday that the administration and Republicans put a higher priority on tax cuts than on veterans' health care.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, said the House has sent Bush a $64.7 billion spending bill to fund Veterans Affairs. That includes a $6 billion increase for veterans' health care, $3.8 billion more than Bush had requested, Edwards said.

"For weeks, the White House budget office threatened to veto this bill, because it was above their request," Edwards said in the Democrats' weekly radio address. "Fortunately, the president finally backed down on his threat to this historic veterans' bill, but only after it was clear that Congress would override a veto."

The Veterans Affairs spending bill passed the House 409-2 last week.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/23/Dems.radio.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

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U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards To Give Weekly National Democratic Radio Address on Record Budget Increases for America's Veterans
http://www.dnc.org/a/2007/06/us_rep_chet_edw.php