Nobody deserves greater admiration than those who have sacrificed for our country by serving in the military, and Democrats' commitment to full funding for Veterans programs reflects that. But after Republicans lavished more than $25 billion in new corporate tax breaks on industry cronies in their "stimulus package," they found it necessary to cut $14 billion from Veterans' Health programs at a time where thousands of veterans with medical needs are coming out of Iraq each year.
John Kline lied when he said "I will always fight to make sure that our nation keeps our promises to our veterans."
John Kline along with 218 Republicans voted with Tom DeLay to Shortchange Veterans' Health By $14 BILLION. The vote was for the 2006 budget that cuts funding for veterans' health care by $14 billion over the next 5 years and requires $798 million in reduced veterans' benefits or increased fees. Representative Kline is on record as voting against our Veterans.
- As the American Legion points out, "Reducing mandatory appropriations for veterans' disability compensation, pensions, and educational benefits at a time of war is inconsistent with the thanks of a grateful Nation. America's veterans and their families deserve better." [American Legion, Letter to Jim Nussle, 3/17/05]
- Furthermore, the Independent Budget - a coalition including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS and Paralyzed Veterans of America - argues that, "cutting veterans' benefit programs is unconscionable, especially at a time when America's sons and daughters are being wounded and killed every day in Iraq." [The Independent Budget, Letter to Jim Nussle, 3/17/05]
John Kline touts on his website of funding for a Minnesota to receive $12.5 million from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for improvements at veterans homes in Hastings and Silver Bay. 65% is coming from the federal government. In other words, while Kline devotes webspace for promoting his role in granting $8.1 Million to Veterans, he voted to cut Veterans Health Care by $14 BILLION! Some trade off there!
Spinning the truth at the expense of those who served out country is just plain wrong. If Kline really cared about our Veterans he would have voted for increases in Veteran Health Care to balance out the $25 BILLION in tax cuts to his rich corporate buddies. Call on Representative Kline to start telling the truth about his lack of support for Veterans.
1 comment:
Kline's about as atrocious a congressman as you'll find anywhere-- and with this Congress that's saying a lot! I'm a big supporter of Coleen Rowley and, of course, I hope she can dislodge him-- for all of our sakes. This morning I posted a piece that should make veterans and their supporters stop and think about the approach to veterans from Democrats and from Republicans. There's a real difference-- and it's a big one.
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