XXXX Voted Against Mandatory Veterans’ Health Care Funding. In October 2005, XXXX voted against establishing a funding formula for veterans’ health care that would keep pace with inflation and population growth. [Vote 251, 10/5/05; CQ Today, 10/5/05] XXXX Voted Against $10 Million for Veterans’ Counseling. In September 2005, XXXX voted against an amendment that would have added $10 million to the Readjustment Counseling Service and decreased the HealtheVet technology budget by the same amount. Supporters said the additional funds would ensure soldiers returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan could receive treatment. [Vote 242, 9/22/05; Tulsa World, 9/25/05] XXXX Twice Rejected $2 Billion in Veterans’ Health Care Funding. In April 2005, XXXX twice voted against increasing veterans’ health care funding by $1.98 billion. “There is a train wreck coming in veterans’ health care and I’m offering an amendment to deal with the emergency now - before it turns into a crisis,” Sen. Patty Murray said. The amendment included $610 million for health care services for the newest veterans, $525 million for mental health care for returning veterans and $40 million for each of the VA regional operations. Two months later, the VA announced a billion-dollar budget shortfall. [Vote 89, 4/12/05; Vote 90, 4/12/05; Scripps Howard News Service, 4/12/05; U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs Press Release, 6/23/05] XXXX Twice Supported the FY06 Budget Resolution That Cut Funding for Veterans. The Senate Republicans’ initial FY06 budget resolution slashed domestic discretionary programs by $204 billion over five years, including significant cuts to veterans’ benefits. Arguing against the budget, the leader of the American Legion said, “No veteran should be shortchanged by those in Congress with higher national priorities than the ongoing cost of war.” The final version of the budget included $212 billion in cuts to domestic discretionary programs, including veterans’ health care. [Vote 81, 3/17/05; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/1/05; American Legion Press Release, 3/18/05; Vote 114, 4/28/05; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/6/05; Congressional Record, 4/28/05] XXXX Voted Against $2.8 Billion for Veteran Health Care. In 2005, XXXX voted against an amendment that would increase funding for veterans health care by $2.8 billion for fiscal 2006 and reduce the deficit by $2.8 billion. [Vote 55, 3/16/05]  XXXX Voted To Fund Veterans Health Care. In 2005, XXXX voted for an amendment that would increase fiscal 2006 health care funding for veterans by $410 million. It would be offset by a reduction in foreign aid funding. [Vote 54, 3/16/05] XXXX Opposed Mandatory Full Funding of Veterans Health Care. In 2004, XXXX helped defeat an amendment that would ensure that all veterans have access to the health services and prescription drugs they need and deserve. The amendment would have established a new funding process intended to guarantee Veterans health programs are fully funded. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office predicted that this amendment would permit another 3 million veterans to receive pharmaceutical and health services from the VA. [S 2400, Vote 145, 6/23/04] XXXX Voted Against Reserve Fund to Cover Vets’ Programs. During debate on the FY 2005 budget resolution, XXXX voted to kill an amendment that would have created a reserve fund with up to $11.2 billion in additional spending for a number of programs, including veterans’ medical care. [Vote 48, 3/11/04] XXXX Voted Against Increasing Veterans’ Medical Care by $1.8 Billion. In 2004, XXXX voted against an amendment to create a reserve fund to allow for an increase in veterans’ medical care by $1.8 billion. The spending would have been offset by revenue increases. [Vote 40, 3/10/04] XXXX Voted Against Reducing Taxes to Pay for Veterans’ Health Care. In 2004, XXXX voted against creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans’ medical care by $2.7 billion and lower the national debt by reducing the President’s tax breaks for taxpayers with incomes in excess of $1 million a year. [Vote 34, 3/9/04] 311