Why does congress have to find money for the VA but not for Iraq?

I can't help it. It's pissing me off beyond belief. While Bush can demand away for supplemental after supplemental to keep occupying Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plans for either of them to end, no accountability whatsoever, he turns around and demands congress finds the money to fund the VA? What the hell is wrong with this government and how it's being run? What is in the mind of the GOP when they will not stand up and fight him when he is clearly terrorizing the troops he keeps getting wounded? Isn't anyone in congress really paying attention to any of this and what is wrong with the Democrats? They should be going on every right and left radio show, cable TV show and standing up in front of the White House with protests signs for the sake of the troops. This is wrong,,,,,wrong,,,,,wrong! How can they always seem to come last when they need the President but always first when the President wants them to risk their lives?

VA budget plan not enough, lawmakers say

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 12:27:15 EST

The nearly $94 billion veterans’ budget proposal for fiscal 2009 that was unveiled Monday is already drawing fire from the House and Senate veterans’ committee chairmen.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, his Senate counterpart, say the Bush administration isn’t asking for enough money for the Veterans Affairs Department next year and continues to press for cost-cutting initiatives previously rejected by Congress, such as raising prescription drug co-payments and charging some veterans enrollment fees.

“The request for veterans’ funding for 2009 is not adequate,” Filner said in a statement. “Although the request includes an increase for health care, it does not fully fund the needs of America’s veterans.”

Filner said he opposes higher fees and co-payments, calling them “nothing more than a tax increase on our veterans.”

But the problem in rejecting the fee increases, which would apply to veterans being treated by VA for medical problems that are not connected to their military service, is that the Bush budget assumes $5.2 billion in revenue from such fee hikes.

If Congress does not go along with the fees, it would have to make up that funding from some other source.

Filner’s committee will hold a hearing Thursday, where retired Army Gen. (Dr.) James Peake makes his first appearance before Congress as VA secretary to talk about the budget request.
go here for the rest
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_VAbudget_080205w/