Bush, Dems take battle over veterans to the airwaves

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President Bush criticized Congress Saturday for not having passed a funding bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs, while Democrats used their weekly address to the nation to highlight their commitment to veterans by boosting the department’s funding.

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Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), a former three-star Navy Admiral who delivered the weekly radio address on behalf of the Democrats, touted his party’s support for an unprecedented increase in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ budget and for boosting veterans’ medical benefits.

The freshman lawmaker also trumpeted Democrats’ support for increased funds to treat veterans’ mental health problems, tacitly blaming a spike in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on unusually long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Each war is different: our World War II veterans were in combat on average for six months – in the most horrific of battles – with some dwell time in between for physical and mental rest,” Sestak said. “Today, our soldiers and Marines in Iraq go ‘outside the wire’ into combat every day for 15 straight months, with many returning for several tours.”

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/bush-dems-take-battle-over-veterans-to-the-airwaves-2007-11-10.html

Congressman Joe Sestak Delivers Democratic Radio Address
http://www.dnc.org/a/2007/11/congressman_joe.php