XXXX Voted Against Moving $1.8 From Iraq to Vets’ Health Care. During debate on the FY 2004 war funding bill, XXXX killed an amendment that would have redirected $1.8 billion for Iraqi reconstruction to veterans’ health benefits. [Vote 379, 10/14/03] XXXX Opposed $13 Billion for Veterans. XXXX rejected the Democratic substitute to the FY 2004 budget resolution, which would have increased veterans’ funding by $13 billion, to be offset by rolling back tax cuts. [Vote 83, 3/25/03; Conrad Floor Speech, 3/25/03] XXXX Voted Against $650 Million for Medical Spending For Veterans. In 2001, XXXX voted against an amendment that would increase the amount provided to the Veterans Health Administration for medical care by $650 million, for a total of $22.020 billion. No offsets would be provided to pay for the increased cost. The bill would already provide an increase of $1.1 billion for veterans’ medical care, and it will provide that increase within its budget allocation. [HR 2620, Vote 263, 8/1/01] XXXX Voted for $967 Million for Veterans Programs. In 2001, XXXX voted for an amendment that would adjust the functional totals in order to increase spending on veterans programs in FY2002 by $967 million. It was debated concurrently with a Wellstone amendment that increased spending on veterans programs and denied tax cuts by a commensurate amount. [H Con Res 83, Vote 85, 4/6/01] XXXX Chose Tax Cuts for the Rich Instead of Health Care for Veterans. In 2001, XXXX voted against an amendment to increase funding for Veteran’s health care by $1.7 billion. The budget resolution’s funding level was inadequate to meet the needs of veteran’s health programs, according to a budget authored by forty veteran’s organizations and medical societies. [H Con Res 83, Vote 84, 4/6/01] XXXX Voted For An Amendment To Allow Military Retirees To Be Eligible For Military Health Care. In 2000, XXXX voted for an amendment that would repeal the restriction, enacted in 1964, on military retirees being eligible for military health care benefits under CHAMPUS or TRICARE after they reach age 65 and are eligible for Medicare. Under the amendment, Medicare would pay for health services received from military health care providers for services covered by Medicare, and military health insurance would pay for those services it covers that are not covered by Medicare. [Vote 117, 6/7/00] XXXX Voted to Kill an increase in Veteran’s Healthcare funding by $209.5 million. In 1999, XXXX voted for his motion to table an amendment that decreases funding for Corporation for National and Community Service programs (AmeriCorps) from $423.5 million to $199.0 million; and increases medical care for Veteran’s Health Administration by $209.5 million, Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem program by $5.0 million, and grants for construction of State extended care facilities for veteran’s by $10.0 million. [Vote 286, 9/22/99] XXXX Voted Against Increased Veterans Health Care Funding. In 1999, XXXX voted against a motion to waive the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to permit consideration of the Wellstone amendment to S.1429, which was an amendment to recommit the bill to the Senate Finance Committee with instructions to reserve $3 billion per year for five years for veterans’ health care, offset by decreasing tax reductions for upper income taxpayers. [Vote 243, 7/30/99] XXXX Did Not Vote on Measure Lifting Prohibition on Tobacco-Related Illnesses for Veterans. In 1998, XXXX did not vote on a motion to waive the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to permit consideration of the Wellstone amendment to S.2168, which was an amendment to repeal a provision in the six-year surface transportation reauthorization (PL 105-178) that prohibits compensation payments to veterans for tobacco-related illnesses. [Vote 210, 7/17/98] XXXX Voted Against Veterans Funding. In 1998, XXXX voted against the Bumpers amendment to S.2168, which was an amendment to eliminate the bill’s $2.3 billion appropriation for the international space station. The amendment would provide $850 million to terminate the program, $1 billion for veterans’ health care programs, and $450 million for low-income housing. [Vote 185, 7/7/98] 312