Jon Soltz, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee (IAVA PAC), has an opinion piece in today’s Daily News blasting Congressmen Curt Weldon and Mike Fitzpatrick for their wavering support of America’s Veterans.
Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, on his campaign Web site, claims that helping veterans has been “a top priority on his agenda.” Fitzpatrick is likely to face Iraq veteran Patrick Murphy in the general election. Rep. Curt Weldon, who is facing Afghanistan veteran Joe Sestak, writes on his congressional Web site that he is a “leading advocate for vets.” Unfortunately, the rhetoric doesn’t match the reality.
It is useful to examine where our nation is, in terms of its ability to care for the hundreds of thousands of troops who have returned home from war and who will be returning home from war.
In early 2005, because of budget constraints, Department of Veterans Affairs facilities began to cut back on services to veterans, had to postpone construction and repairs on facilities, kill orders for desperately needed medical equipment and keep staff positions unfilled – just to stay afloat. These cuts affect our returning heroes, they wait longer to be seen or receive services, pay more for their prescriptions and now have to pay fees to enroll in the VA system.
I guess that Weldon and Fitzpatrick, who may both be facing vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars (we’ll see later tonight whether Murphy can beat Warren), must think that their yellow ribbons can magically assist Veterans deal with missing limbs, shrapnel wounds, and PTSD. As Soltz points out, despite the lofty rhetoric on their websites, both have voted against giving the VA the resources that they need to treat our wounded warriors.
Both Reps. Fitzpatrick and Weldon repeatedly voted no on helping these 21st-century patriots. They voted no on a bill to extend the military health care program to members of the National Guard and reserves, on an amendment that would have increased funding for VA services by $2.6 billion, and another that would have increased funding by $3.1 billion.
Rep. Weldon also voted against adding $1.8 billion to VA health care in 2003, and for legislation in 2004 that cut a promised increase to the VA by half.
Curt Weldon and Mike Fitzpatrick can say whatever they want about supporting our soldiers- their actions and inactions speak much louder than their empty rhetoric. Fortunately we have the opportunity to send these two on an extended vacation and replace them with two respectable, honest, and progressive candidates who can not only help to turn things around for our nation’s vets, but for our entire country.
Crossposted at Young Philly Politics
