Shock: Dems Block Funding For Vets
Last Week Dems Again Blocked Funding For Active Duty Troops, Families, And Veterans
“Democrats on Thursday blocked the Senate from turning to a $78 billion spending measure for the Department of Veterans Affairs and military base construction.” (“Democrats Block Veterans Funding Bill As Budget Talks Loom,” Associated Press, 10/1/15)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): “‘They issued press releases praising the bill, but they seem prepared to block the Senate from even debating this bill, too,’ he said. ‘It's all part of some half-baked Democratic scheme to get more money for the IRS and the Washington bureaucracies.’” (“Senate Democrats Block VA Funding Bill,” The Hill, 10/1/15)
- “Republicans decried the move as playing politics at the expense of veterans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called it ‘one more example of Democrats preventing us from doing our business.’” (“Senate Democrats Block VA Budget Bill,” Military Times, 10/1/15)
‘307,000 Veterans May Have Died Awaiting Veterans Affairs Health Care,’ VA Bill Will ‘Decrease The Claims Backlog’
“Hundreds of thousands of veterans listed in the Department of Veterans Affairs enrollment system died before their applications for care were processed, according to a report issued Wednesday. The VA's inspector general found that out of about 800,000 records stalled in the agency's system for managing health care enrollment, there were more than 307,000 records that belonged to veterans who had died months or years in the past.” (“307,000 Veterans May Have Died Awaiting Veterans Affairs Health Care, Report Says,” CNN, 9/3/15)
“This [Military Construction-Veterans Affairs] bill builds on Chairman Kirk’s work over the last years to decrease the claims backlog, and to that end his bill funds $290 million for the paperless claims processing system, $141 million for digital scanning of health records, and $26 million for centralized mail. To prompt greater national and regional progress in reducing VA claims backlogs, the bill also maintains strict reporting requirements for claim processing.” (Sen. Kirk, Press Release, 5/21/15)
“The VA appropriations bill, which also includes military construction funds, would have provided a 3 percent budget increase for the new fiscal year. It’s another spending boost for the department, which has seen its total budget nearly triple since the late 1990s.” (“Senate Democrats Block VA Budget Bill,” Military Times, 10/1/15)
“Many Democrats supported the bills when they were considered by the Appropriations Committee.” (“Democrats Block Veterans Funding Bill As Budget Talks Loom,” Associated Press, 10/1/15)
- “Senate appropriators approved their fiscal 2016 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs funding bill Thursday... The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the legislation by a 21-9 vote…” (“Appropriators OK VA Funding…,” CQ Roll Call, 5/21/15)
- SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): “Yesterday, provisions supporting New Hampshire veterans … were included in the Senate Appropriations Committee bill for FY 2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. ... ‘We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have served our country and that includes making sure they have access to the services they need,’ Shaheen said.” (Sen. Shaheen, Press Release, 5/22/15)
LAST WEEK: ‘Democrats … Blocked A Spending Bill For The Pentagon For A Second Time’
“Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a spending bill for the Pentagon for a second time… Senators voted 54-42 on a procedural vote on taking up the fiscal year 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill. Sixty votes were needed to move forward. The vote comes after Democrats first blocked the spending bill in June.” (“Senate Democrats Block Defense Spending Bill,” The Hill, 9/22/15)
- September Vote (HR.2685, Roll Call Vote #269, Cloture On The Motion To Proceed Rejected 54-42: R 53-0; D 1-40; I 0-2, 9/22/15)
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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
Related Issues: Senate Democrats, Appropriations, Veterans
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