Lawmakers warn leaders — and pay a price

Kansas City Star | 07/17/2005 | Lawmakers warn leaders — and pay a price: "Fellow Republicans warned House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay that the government would come up short — by at least $750 million — for veterans’ health care.

The leaders’ response: Fire the messengers.

Now that the Bush administration has acknowledged a shortfall of at least $1.2 billion, Republicans are scrambling to fill the gap. Meanwhile, Democrats portray the problem as another example of the GOP and the White House taking a shortsighted approach to the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."