Jon Stewart is Right – “America is F*****d”
Fortunately, after I wrote about this fiasco, things changed and the bill finally passed. However, we must never forget how one of the most important pieces of veterans’ legislation was almost tanked – tanked by one party – the Republicans, as odd as that sounds to us all.
As a retired, disabled veteran, I never thought I would see such a long list of Republican lawmakers who would send the message that they are not in favor of taking care of America’s heroes, especially in an election year. Yet 41 Senators and 88 Republican Representatives did just that. That’s the short story.
Warning: The names have not been changed because there are no innocent.
In the end, it was Senator Bernie Sanders who has it most right, and Republicans who had it most wrong. But, again, at least it finally happened.
Thank you, Senator Bernie Sanders, for the best summary of the issue at hand:
“I say to Senator Toomey, if you don’t believe we can afford to take care of our veterans suffering from toxic burn pit exposure, then you should not have approved funding to go to war,” said Sanders (I-Vt.), who voted to authorize the U.S. war in Afghanistan but against the Iraq invasion.
“Taking care of our veterans is the cost of war—period,” Sanders added. “End of discussion.”
Senators and Representatives Who Voted Against Vets (Burn Pit Bill)
The Bill: S. 3373 – Honoring our PACT Act of 2022
What’s in the Bill?
Veterans exposed to toxic substances on active duty will have better access to VA health care and compensation. The biggest benefit of the bill will be the list of presumptive diseases that veterans won’t have to prove the service caused. For the most part, even if the link is known, the ability to prove it on a “veteran by veteran” case is almost impossible.
What’s the Republican Beef? The House made the spending mandatory, not discretionary. The Senate wants it part of the discretionary pot. So it’s basically about the money, not the veteran.
VA Secretary’s Take: Senate changes could lead to the rationing of veteran’s care.
The Angry Vets Take: After the military budget got robbed to pay for part of the wall, vets should never trust “discretionary.”
My Cynical Spin: Like any election year, posturing, posturing, posturing. How could a bunch of Republicans allow President Biden to be seen as doing something good for vets prior to the midterms? I’d like to believe that’s not true, but I call it as I see it.
Bernie has it Right, Republican have it Wrong
Talk about confusing an old vet. But thank you, Senator Bernie Sanders, for the best summary of the issue at hand:
“I say to Senator Toomey, if you don’t believe we can afford to take care of our veterans suffering from toxic burn pit exposure, then you should not have approved funding to go to war,” said Sanders (I-Vt.), who voted to authorize the U.S. war in Afghanistan but against the Iraq invasion.
“Taking care of our veterans is the cost of war—period,” Sanders added. “End of discussion.”
The Bottom Line:
– The bill got passed, but…
– Vets are still left to the whims of politicians. They decide when to go to war and then decide on how to screw us when we return. No wonder America has a recruiting problem.
– Start small. Watch the movie “Dave” for a few pointers.
Final Note:
Thanks, Jon Stewart
Maybe you helped us not get F’d at least this time. Trust me, it will happen again.
Senators
| State | Last Name | Party | Burn Pit Closure Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Sullivan | R | Nay |
| AL | Shelby | R | Nay |
| AL | Tuberville | R | Nay |
| AR | Cotton | R | Nay |
| FL | Scott | R | Nay |
| IA | Ernst | R | Nay |
| ID | Risch | R | Nay |
| ID | Crapo | R | Nay |
| IN | Braun | R | Nay |
| IN | Young | R | Nay |
| KS | Marshall | R | Nay |
| KY | McConnell | R | Nay |
| KY | Paul | R | Nay |
| LA | Cassidy | R | Nay |
| LA | Kennedy | R | Nay |
| MO | Hawley | R | Nay |
| MO | Blunt | R | Nay |
| MS | Hyde-Smith | R | Nay |
| MS | Wicker | R | Nay |
| MT | Daines | R | Nay |
| NC | Burr | R | Nay |
| NC | Tillis | R | Nay |
| ND | Cramer | R | Nay |
| NE | Sasse | R | Nay |
| NE | Fischer | R | Nay |
| NY | Schumer | D | Nay |
| OH | Portman | R | Nay |
| OK | Lankford | R | Nay |
| OK | Inhofe | R | Nay |
| PA | Toomey | R | Nay |
| SC | Scott | R | Nay |
| SD | Thune | R | Nay |
| SD | Rounds | R | Nay |
| TN | Hagerty | R | Nay |
| TN | Blackburn | R | Nay |
| TX | Cornyn | R | Nay |
| TX | Cruz | R | Nay |
| UT | Lee | R | Nay |
| UT | Romney | R | Nay |
| WI | Johnson | R | Nay |
| WY | Lummis | R | Nay |
| WY | Barasso | R | Nay |
Representatives
| State | Name | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Brooks | R | NAY |
| AL | Palmer | R | NAY |
| AL | Rogers (AL) | R | NAY |
| AZ | Biggs | R | NAY |
| AZ | Lesko | R | NAY |
| AZ | Schweikert | R | NAY |
| AK | Crawford | R | NAY |
| AK | Westerman | R | NAY |
| CA | Conway | R | NAY |
| CA | McCarthy | R | NAY |
| CA | McClintock | R | NAY |
| CO | Boebert | R | NAY |
| CO | Buck | R | NAY |
| CO | Lamborn | R | NAY |
| FL | Buchanan | R | NAY |
| FL | Dunn | R | NAY |
| FL | Franklin, C. Scott | R | NAY |
| FL | Steube | R | NAY |
| FL | Webster (FL) | R | NAY |
| GA | Allen | R | NAY |
| GA | Clyde | R | NAY |
| GA | Ferguson | R | NAY |
| GA | Greene (GA) | R | NAY |
| GA | Hice (GA) | R | NAY |
| GA | Loudermilk | R | NAY |
| GA | Scott, Austin | R | NAY |
| ID | Fulcher | R | NAY |
| ID | Simpson | R | NAY |
| IL | LaHood | R | NAY |
| IL | Miller (IL) | R | NAY |
| IN | Hollingsworth | R | NAY |
| IN | Pence | R | NAY |
| KS | Estes | R | NAY |
| KS | Mann | R | NAY |
| KY | Comer | R | NAY |
| LA | Higgins (LA) | R | NAY |
| LA | Johnson (LA) | R | NAY |
| LA | Scalise | R | NAY |
| MD | Harris | R | NAY |
| MI | Huizenga | R | NAY |
| MI | McClain | R | NAY |
| MN | Emmer | R | NAY |
| MS | Guest | R | NAY |
| MS | Kelly (MS) | R | NAY |
| MO | Graves (MO) | R | NAY |
| MO | Long | R | NAY |
| MO | Smith (MO) | R | NAY |
| NE | Smith (NE) | R | NAY |
| NM | Herrell | R | NAY |
| NY | Tenney | R | NAY |
| NC | Bishop (NC) | R | NAY |
| NC | Foxx | R | NAY |
| NC | Rouzer | R | NAY |
| OH | Jordan | R | NAY |
| OK | Hern | R | NAY |
| OR | Bentz | R | NAY |
| PA | Perry | R | NAY |
| PA | Smucker | R | NAY |
| SC | Duncan | R | NAY |
| SC | Norman | R | NAY |
| SC | Timmons | R | NAY |
| SC | Wilson (SC) | R | NAY |
| SC | Johnson (SD) | R | NAY |
| TN | Burchett | R | NAY |
| TN | Green (TN) | R | NAY |
| TN | Kustoff | R | NAY |
| TN | Rose | R | NAY |
| TX | Arrington | R | NAY |
| TX | Carter (TX) | R | NAY |
| TX | Gooden (TX) | R | NAY |
| TX | Granger | R | NAY |
| TX | Jackson | R | NAY |
| TX | Nehls | R | NAY |
| TX | Pfluger | R | NAY |
| TX | Roy | R | NAY |
| TX | Sessions | R | NAY |
| TX | Taylor | R | NAY |
| TX | Weber (TX) | R | NAY |
| TX | Williams (TX) | R | NAY |
| UT | Curtis | R | NAY |
| UT | Moore (UT) | R | NAY |
| UT | Owens | R | NAY |
| UT | Stewart | R | NAY |
| VA | Good (VA) | R | NAY |
| VA | Griffith | R | NAY |
| WA | Rodgers (WA) | R | NAY |
| WV | Mooney | R | NAY |
| WI | Tiffany | R | NAY |