10/02/13 Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (IN-02) released the following statement Tuesday evening after the House offered bills to support veterans and reopen national parks and museums, despite a lapse in appropriations from the government shutdown:
“Today my office received a phone call from a veteran concerned about losing VA health services. A group of World War II veterans flew all the way to our nation’s capital on an Honor Flight to visit the World War II Memorial and found barricades. This is an unacceptable way to repay our nation’s war heroes.”
Walorski continued, “I am disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle could not put politics aside and support important funding to protect our veterans and allow Americans to enjoy our national parks and museums. I will continue to work on bipartisan solutions to end this government shutdown and ensure essential services are provided to our veterans, troops, and families. I urge the president and Washington Democrats to support and pass these bills, just like the Pay Our Military Act, for the sake of the American people.”
The Honoring Our Promise to America’s Veterans Act provides immediate funding to ensure the continuation of veterans’ disability payments, the GI Bill, education training, and VA home loans. The Open Our National Parks and Museums Act offers immediate funding for the National Park Service, Smithsonian, National Gallery of Art, and the United States Holocaust Museum. Both bills would have provided funding until December 15, 2013
