In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus an additional $1 billion increase for veterans' health care.

Now Congress learns that the Veterans Administration failed to provide complete, accurate information on the money it needs for both this year and next year.

The country is forced to devote more than $450 billion each year to health care costs and other expenses because of the high burden exacted children's diseases and disabilities. The National Children's Study would pay for its total cost many times over with the expected reductions it could make on this heavy societal burden.

Illegal immigration costs taxpayers $45 billion a year in health care, education, and incarceration expenses.

In 2001, America 's hospitals provided nearly $21 billion in uncompensated health care services.

America's veterans deserve the very best health care because they've earned it.