Vet bill fails in the Senate
A Democrat sponsored bill failed in the Senate when 41 Republicans voted against it after the Democrats voted down a bill for more sanctions against Iran. The Democrat bill would have vastly expanded spending for veterans on things like treatment for veterans with no service-connected injuries and a taxpayer-funded gym membership for overweight veterans who live more than 15 minutes from a VA gym. From the Associated Press;
Republicans criticized how most of Sanders’ bill was paid for — with unspent money from the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the winding down of American military involvement in Afghanistan. The GOP says those are not real savings because no one expected those dollars to be spent as those wars ended.
Republicans also objected to provisions making more veterans without service-connected injuries eligible for treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. They said that would swamp an already overburdened system.
The vote sidetracking the bill was 56-41, with supporters falling four votes short of the 60 they needed to prevail. Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Dean Heller of Nevada were the only Republicans voting to keep the legislation alive and the only lawmakers crossing party lines on the vote.
Of course, Democrats leaped at the opportunity to smear Republicans for their vote by running ads against at least one Senator (Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell). Stolen Valor executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and founder of OpTruth, Paul Rieckhoff also couldn’t wait to weigh in;
“Veterans don’t have time for this nonsense and veterans are tired of being used as political chew toys,” said Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which supported the legislation.
Look, veterans are being chastised across the country for not accepting the things that take money from our pockets, like “paltry” cuts to our cost of living allowances, and “insignificant” hikes to our healthcare costs (while the Pentagon raids our $770 million surplus), so why are Senators trying to pay for gym memberships? Why do they want to push veterans who don’t have service-connected issues into the already over-burdened VA medical care? If everyone is trying to cut spending, we certainly don’t want to be seen as greedy beggars getting free gym memberships.
And, Rieckhoff, you’re one to talk about veterans as “political chew toys”.
Category: Congress sucks
I will never again insult a used car salesperson by refering to them and politicans in the same sentence.
I wanbt to say Hondo predicted this back about the time the original COLA cuts came down, that the Dems would sponsor some feel-good bullshit veteran’s bill that didn’t have a hope in hell of passing just so the Republicans would vote against it – and the Dems could bleat “See? See? They hate vets!” Good call…..
Just wanted to let you folks know I am home and okay. Since I have to spell check and retype everything 4 times I will just lurk around tonight and catch up. Tomorrow I will let you all know how it went. Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes. They were needed and used. I see I have a lot to catch up on!
See what I am talking about…my last post must have been a mock of VWP and didn’t change it back…BIG NEVER MIND ON THE VWP POST.
Just wanted to let you folks know I am home and okay. Since I have to spell check and retype everything 4 times I will just lurk around tonight and catch up. Tomorrow I will let you all know how it went. Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes. They were needed and used. I see I have a lot to catch up on!
My Senator voted against this legislation because it was a set up to screw the troops down the road. It would have bankrupted the VA System. I trust John Boozman to look out for our bona-fide interests. Democrat is an Indian word for “screw the troops.” That is what will be left of them. Wonder if anyone saw the news item about Russia using 150,000 troops for war games on the nearby border. But not to worry, Obama warned Putnin. Guess the Chump in Chief never heard the term, “talk is cheap”.
In case you’re wondering, Jonn cleaned up post#3 for me.
@5 Did you see the Russian Navy ship that just docked in Cuba? Maybe Kerry will voice another sternly worded warning.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/us-cuba-russia-ship-idUSBREA1Q21120140227?feedType=RSS
The bill was a sham, aimed at ensuring that it would fail, c/o Republicans so that Dems can play make believe. ‘We supported our Veterans. My opponient did not.” Looks like there were only two R sissy marys, one named Hell something and the other named Moron.
As for Putin vs. Obama, that’s a no contest right there. Vlad may not even take his call. If the Rooskies in the Crimea need help, Putin will ensure their safety, just like Hitler in the Sudetenland. This time, though, it might be legitimate. Me, I said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t give a shit. Besides, the last thing we need with The Emperor and his idiots is a true international crisis. Phone banks, robocalls, and handing out pamphlets don’t get it done.
If democrats want to increase spending on veteran benefits they are evil devils! When republicans want to cut veteran benefits spending to protect the rich from having to pay for veterans benefits well they are just trying to help veterans ;but not at the exspence of rich people that we all should worship at their rich feet because they are rich. Do you think the coke brothers care if injured veterans live or die if it costs them money? Saying thanks for your service doesn’t cost the coke brothers any money!
@9-and the obligatory hysterical Koch brothers reference. The last gasping appeal to emotion of a crank who has had all his evidence debunked.
And not even the democrats were looking to pay for this sucker with other people’s money for a change. I think you failed reading comprehension with life.
Posers in states with weak VA systems would have loved this bill.
Also,
Paul Rieckhoff = weak individual.
I’m sure it was loaded with pork that would benifit only the Democrats as well.
Are the Democrats saying that the ACA is inadequate when it comes providing healthcare and that other vets need access to the VA because the ACA sucks?
Hey I thought we already HAD Top Notch Healthcare for non-service connected veterans, now that the ACA is the Law of the Land.
Paul Rieckhoff = partisan poseur.
He doesn’t give a shit about Vets; he’s a Democrat Party operative posing as a veterans spokesman.