Senate Republicans blocked a $21 billion plan to build new VA clinics because they said it was too expensive, but today House Republicans advanced a $600 billion tax cut for business.
Back in February, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have expanded veterans’ benefits, and built 27 new VA clinics and facilities over the next ten years, because they thought the bill was too expensive. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) spoke for the group of 41 GOP obstructionists when he said, “This bill creates new veterans’ programs and it’s not paid for—it’s all borrowed money.”
The veterans benefits bill would have cost $21 billion over ten years.
Today, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced a bill that would give businesses a $600 billion tax cut. Democrats have been opposed to the Republican plan to add nearly $300 billion to the deficit without paying for it. According to The Hill, “As with the research tax break, Democrats said they generally supported the incentives considered by the committee. But none of them voted for any of the tax breaks, insisting they couldn’t get on board with clearing another slate of tax breaks that would add more than $300 billion to the deficit. In all, the dozen preferences approved by the Ways and Means panel over the last four weeks cost $600 billion over a decade.”
$2.1 billion a year over ten years to provide better care for our veterans is too expensive, but $60 billion a year over the same time period is affordable as long as the money is going to the business sector. This is a case of blatant Republican hypocrisy. Republicans are refusing to pay for their tax cuts for business, but they have the nerve to tell people who fought and bled for their country that they can’t have better medical care.
Veterans didn’t risk their lives so that the Koch brothers could have another tax cut. Republicans would rather take from veterans and give to the business community. One year of the business tax cuts could pay for the veterans benefits nearly three times over. It’s a matter of priorities, and in the Republican mind, tax cuts are more important than veterans.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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