Republican proposes slashing Veterans Health care and Benefits

Republican proposes slashing Veterans Health care and Benefits by $4.5 billion


Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) last week released a budget cut proposal  which attacks our troops, our veterans and their families in a time of war. Veteran groups across the country want to know why she doesn’t support our troops and veterans.

In her quest to pander and appease her extremist right wing Tea Party base, Bachmann announced a plan to cut federal spending by $400 billion. Her slash and axe plan according to the Air Force Times includes freezing the Veterans Affairs Department’s health care spending and cuts to veterans’ disability benefits.

The Air Force Times reports her plan would slice $4.5 billion from the VA, including reducing 150,000 veterans’ disability compensation and the amount they receive in Social Security Disability Income.

Various Veterans groups across the country have come out against Rep. Bachmann’s plans (ThinkProgress.org):

Veterans of Foreign War national commander Richard L. Eubank said, “The only discussion the VFW wants is to tell the congresswoman that her plan is totally out of step with America’s commitment to our veterans.” “No way, no how, will we let this proposal get any traction in Congress,” said Eubank. “There are certain things you do not do when our nation is at war, and at the top of that list is not caring for our wounded and disabled servicemen and women when they return home,” he said. “I want her to look those disabled veterans in the eye and tell them their service and sacrifice is too expensive for the nation to bear.”

Disabled American Veterans Washington Headquarters Executive Director David Gorman said Bachmann’s plan is “such an ill-advised proposal it is nothing short of heartless.” “It is unconscionable that while our nation is at war someone would even think of forcing our wounded warriors to sacrifice even more than they already have,” Gorman said. “Their injuries and disabilities were the result of their service to the nation, and our nation must not shirk its responsibilities toward them. How do you tell a veteran who has lost a limb that he or she has not sacrificed enough? Yet Rep. Bachmann wants to do just that.”

Veterans for Common Sense executive director Paul Sullivan “said cutting veterans’ health care spending is an ill-advised move at a time when the number of veterans continues to grow as troops return from Iraq and Afghanistan.” “It is really astonishing to see this,” he said.

The White house responded to Rep. Bachmann’s proposed cuts:

“While we need to make tough choices across the federal government to get our deficits under control to be competitive in the global economy, we should do so in a way that upholds the sacred trust our nation has with its veterans, troops and military families,” said White House spokesman Shin Inouye.

Michele Bachmann who is considering a run for the Senate in 2012, shows that she does not support our military and their families, and with her dash to axe $400 billion to appease a segment of the Tea Party, Bachmann shows the same appreciation for our seniors and our nations children in her proposal.