Senate Approves Bill To Boost Veterans’ Health Care
The Senate on Thursday voted 92-1 to pass the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bill (HR 2642), which exceeds President Bush's budget request by $4 billion and includes additional funding for veterans' health care, the AP/Lincoln Journal Star reports.
The only dissenting vote was cast by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) (Taylor, AP/Lincoln Journal Star, 9/7).
In May, the White House issued a veto threat, but with an override likely, the administration retreated from that position in its official policy statement Tuesday, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports. The White House now indicates that Bush will sign the bill but says that Congress should identify cuts elsewhere to offset the increases.
The legislation would provide $65 billion in discretionary spending and $41 billion in disability benefits (Taylor, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 9/5).