For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 10, 2007

Statement by the Press Secretary

White House News

Rather than sending legislation to the President to fund our nations veterans before Veterans Day, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid today instead sent a letter to explain their failure to meet this goal. While we appreciate the challenges of the legislative process, the greater challenge for Congressional Democrats is how to explain to our nation's veterans why a funding bill that received near unanimous support in both houses of Congress still has not been sent to the President.

Budgeting is about making difficult choices and setting priorities. Always deciding to spend more and raising taxes isn't a difficult choice, and isn't responsible. We encourage Congress to work quickly to send the remaining appropriations bills one at a time -- as they promised the American people -- and within the reasonable spending limits recommended by the President.

The failure of Congress to carry out its basic responsibility to fund the government cannot be resolved with letters. It can only be resolved by Congress getting its work done, and not wasting dwindling legislative days on political statements and legislation that wil never become law.

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