Boehner, Blunt Urge Democratic Leaders To Schedule Vote On Veterans Funding Measure

In a bit of pre-holiday posturing, Republican leaders in the House sent Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) a letter Wednesday asking them to keep Congress in session until both chambers approve a spending bill for veterans health care and military construction projects.

The GOP leaders have been pleading with majority leaders all fall to bring the legislation up for a vote, given its universal appeal, in a largely political effort to paint Democrats as unsympathetic to the troops.

Democratic leaders included the veterans health care funds on a much bigger measure to fund broader health and education programs. But Republicans in the Senate forced them to strip it out. Republican Rep. Roger Wicker of Mississippi has since introduced a stand-alone measure resembling one already passed by the House.

Given its broad support, members of the majority can use the veterans funding measure as a bargaining chip as they work to complete their agenda for the year.

"We urge you to bring H.R. 4104 to the House floor before adjourning on Friday so that the Senate can follow suit and send it to the President’s desk for his signature," Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) wrote. "We shouldn’t leave town until we fulfill our promises and complete work on this critical bill."

Ah, the holidays. They always seem to bring out the best in everyone on Capitol Hill.