Honoring our Veterans

• The current Republican Administration has been stalwart in standing up to their perceived threat to the American way of life and invisible when it comes to providing for those who have given a part of themselves in service to our country. Since the 911, the preparation for and prosecution of armed combat has been the singular focus of the Bushies and our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters have paid the price. Maybe the children of those who were killed or injured in service to their country have paid the greatest price as they struggle with the question: why?

The Disabled American Veterans keeps a running scorecard on key votes by all members of Congress on legislation that is important to those who left a part of themselves in some other country. There have been 12 such votes since 9/11/2001. Congressman Rohrabacher has voted for our veterans only 3 time. That is a sorry record.
I will add to the table of votes below by explaining just what our veterans lost by his votes. Pay special attention to the 5th item dated 01/26/2005. This is labeled as voting down an amendment to HR 2528 by Melancon (D. LA) that would have added $53 Million to the Veterans Administration funding. This amendment would have provided:

• an additional $8 Million for combat related trauma care;
• an additional $9 Million for research on improved prosthetics for those who left a limb in Iraq;
  
• an additional $6 Million for telemedicine;
• and additional $23 Million for ongoing support of war orphans.
  

Representative Melancon's amendment failed by a vote of 213 to 214. You could consider that Dana Rohrabacher cast the deciding vote. He has the gall to spend $ Billions on the war and can't find the $23 Million to take care of the wounded who make it back or the families of those who do not.

For those who love their country, this is not the way that a person with a clean conscience treats those who are willing to die for their country. Whether you support the war in Iraq or find it disgusting, you have to agree that Rohrabacher and the rest of the Republican Congress, marching along chanting "no new taxes" just do not understand how much we can figure out and how much we deplore what he has done.

Passed	Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program Extension 11/14/2006	Y
Passed	Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006 06/28/2006	Y
Passed	Veterans Benefits Improvement Act 05/22/2006	Y
Failed	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 On Motion to Recommit with Instructions 05/11/2006	N
Failed	Melancon of Louisiana Amendment; Military Quality of Life and VA Appropriations, FY2006 05/26/2005	N
Passed	Congressional Budget for FY 2006 03/17/2005	Y
Failed	Spratt of South Carolina Substitute Amendment; Congressional Budget for FY 2006 03/17/2005	N
Failed	Obey of Wisconsin Amendment; Congressional Budget for FY 2006 03/17/2005	N
Passed	Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes 03/15/2005	Y
Passed	Congressional Budget for the U.S. Government for FY 2005 03/25/2004	Y
Passed	VA/HUD Appropriations 07/25/2003	Y
Passed	Providing for the Consideration of H.R. 2861, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Indepenent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004 07/25/2003	Y
Failed	Motion to Recommit the Joint Resolution to the House Appropriations Committee 11/13/2002	N