WASHINGTON — President Bush paid tribute to U.S. military forces yesterday, saying Independence Day is an occasion for the nation to express thanks by flying the flag, sending letters to troops and reaching out to their families.

"At posts in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world, our men and women in uniform are taking the fight to the terrorists overseas, so that we do not have to face the terrorists here at home," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

In the Democrats' response, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington referred to Bush's recent denials concerning the financial straits of the Veterans Affairs Department and said they represented another administration failure to level with Americans about the costs of the Iraq war.

"Due to their failures, we saw troops using scrap metal to armor their Humvees," Murray said. "Due to their failures, we saw families raising funds to buy bulletproof vests for soldiers fighting in Iraq. And now, due to their failures, we see that the VA doesn't have the money to provide the needed medical care when our troops return home."

Murray and other Democrats had long questioned whether the department would have enough money to pay medical costs for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration repeatedly denied any problem, but the VA acknowledged last week it was short at least $1 billion this year. "There's no better time than now, as we celebrate our country's independence and all that is great about this nation, for the president to give us the facts and lay out a plan," Murray added.

In his address, Bush said U.S. forces have freed millions of people from oppression, in keeping with the principle of the Declaration of Independence "that all are created equal and all are meant to be free."

He will celebrate July Fourth with a visit to Morgantown, W.Va.