9/15/08
Support the troops?
Like many other veterans, I was happy to get some help from the federal government after serving our country. I was able to go to college because of the GI Bill. A bill that not only was excellent for veterans, but was good for America because of its good effects on the national economy. John McCain opposed the 21st Century GI Bill because it is “too generous.
John McCain might be a veteran, but it’s hard to believe it, when you look at his voting record. Not many people really know just how bad his voting record is when it comes to the troops. It is consistent – whether it is for equipment, for veteran’s health care, for adequate troop rest or anything that actually supports our troops, McCain votes against it.
The facts:
May 2008: McCain would not vote on the new GI Bill that would provide better educational opportunities to veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. McCain said he opposes the bill because he thinks the generous benefits would “encourage more people to leave the military.”)
McCain did vote for tripling veterans’ health care fees, while he opposed increased funding for veterans’ health care.
September 2007: McCain opposed an amendment that would have prevented the Department of Veterans Affairs from outsourcing jobs, many held by blue-collar veterans, without first giving the workers a chance to compete.
September 2007: McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments
May 2006: McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities.
April 2006: McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against VA outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
March 2006: McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
November 2005: McCain voted against an amendment to appropriate $500 million annually from 2006-2010 for mental health and rehabilitation services for veterans diagnosed with mental illness and posttraumatic stress disorder.
March 2004: McCain once again voted for corporate tax loopholes instead of veterans when he voted against creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans’ medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating corporate tax loopholes.
October 2003: McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322,000,000 for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq.
April 2003: McCain urged other Senate members to table a vote (which never passed) to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests.
August 2001: McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650,000,000.
Although his campaign website devotes a large section to veterans issues, he consistently votes against the troops. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D for support.
Support the troops? When it comes to caring for American veterans,
John McCain is all talk and no walk. He likes to talk about supporting the troops. His record shows the opposite. Remember that when you vote.