Funding shortfall for Veterans

The Bush administration acknowledged Tuesdaythat it must treat more than four times the estimated number of warwounded, just hours after the House Republican leadership killed ameasure to increase funding for their care.

Veterans AffairsSecretary R. James Nicholson told a House appropriations subcommitteeTuesday that it earlier estimated that it would need to care for 23,553wounded soldiers from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thattally has been revised upward to 103,000, leaving a funding gap of $2.6billion that Congress needs to close for the 2006 fiscal year thatstarts Oct. 1.

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More than 9 million persons aged 65 and older are veterans.