VETERANS: Risch, Crapo vote no on bill

Do Idaho veterans know that on Feb. 27 their two senators, Risch and Crapo, voted no on Senate bill 1982? This bill was called the Comprehensive Veteran’s Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014.

This bill was endorsed by the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Paralyzed Vets of America and Vets First organizations. The bill was defeated because all except 2 Senate Republicans voted no.

The bill would have funded 20 community based out patient clinics to serve rural and remote areas, expanded and improved health care and benefits to all groups of vets, provided in state tuition and improved access for mental health and victims of sexual assault in the military.

Why did they vote no? They had two reasons: They wanted sanctions against Iran to be in the bill. Is punishing Iran more important than our veterans? I say NO.

Now the VA crisis and the deaths of veterans waiting for help in Arizona serves as a convenient opportunity for these same Republicans who voted no to feign outrage over issues caused by them. What better way to prove their mantra of “Big government does not work,” than to vote no on funding and then say, “See I told you big government does not work!” They used the debt as an excuse to hurt our veterans.

I know we have a $17 trillion debt and face a fiscal crisis, but real fault of this lies in the previous administration who started two wars and put it all on the credit card. GWB created more physically and mentally wounded veterans than the VA can handle due to numbers and decreased funding.

One veteran I recently talked with said to me, “Beware a Republican Congress because they will send you to war and hang you out dry.”

Personally, I do know something about the VA. My father was a veteran and my husband is a disabled vet who feels the VA has been a great organization for him and he is grateful. We have lived in several states, and the VA has always helped him when needed.

Watch for the next national holiday because Sen. Crapo and Sen. James Risch (if he is still in office) will be right there waving the flag as usual. I urge veterans to do some research and find out if your representative voted for or against you.

SANDRA BOYNTON

Rathdrum