Are some Republicans against veterans?
I was one of the lucky ones.
I served in Vietnam from May 1969 until May 1970.
So, when I was diagnosed with third-stage lung cancer 无毛视频� 10 years ago next month 无毛视频� I happened to qualify under the Veterans Affairs无毛视频� list of 无毛视频減resumptive diseases无毛视频� for Vietnam-era vets who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. That meant that all of my doctor无毛视频檚 visits, medications, tests, radiation and chemotherapy have been covered 无毛视频� at no charge.
I无毛视频檓 one of hundreds of thousands of military men and women whose lives have been saved medically and financially 无毛视频� thanks to the largess of the U.S. government.
Now the military men and women who served this country since 1990 in various Middle East, Southwest Asia, and African countries need increased medical attention because they无毛视频檝e been exposed to burn pits.
There were piles of paint, chemicals, plastics, human waste, and munitions that were burned in open pits.
Nine forms of cancer and several respiratory conditions are covered under what无毛视频檚 called the PACT Act (Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) 无毛视频� which also includes added benefits for hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War-era veterans and their survivors 无毛视频� who suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Who could ever be against something this helpful?
Well, a group of Republicans can!
That无毛视频檚 who.
Back in June, the PACT Act sailed through the U.S. Senate with a vote of 84-14 无毛视频� with every Democrat and all but 14 Republicans voting for it.
(Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 Republican senator, Pat Toomey, was one of the 14.)
However, after a minor change was made to the bill, it was sent back to the Senate and failed to get the requisite number of votes (60) to move it forward 无毛视频� 55-41. This time, all 41 holdouts are Republican.
(Again, Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 Republican senator, Pat Toomey, was one of the 41.)
That set off a loud protest from comedian Jon Stewart, who无毛视频檇 vigorously championed the campaign in support of 9/11 first responders 无毛视频� which led to significant legislation to greatly help them.
Stewart didn无毛视频檛 mince any words.
He appeared all over the 24-hour news channels, with strong words aimed at reluctant Republicans.
无毛视频淭hese men and women have suffered for so many years exposed to these, and the government has not fulfilled their promise to them, and it has to get done,无毛视频� he said on Fox News.
Toomey didn无毛视频檛 back down. He threw his own verbal monkey-wrench into the fray.
无毛视频淭his is the oldest trick in Washington. People take a sympathetic group of Americans 无毛视频� and then sneak something completely unrelated; that they know could never pass on its own, and dare Republicans to do anything about it,无毛视频� Toomey said on CNN.
Well, I agree people sent into battle for their country, who无毛视频檝e become the victims of unforeseen culprits 无毛视频� like Agent Orange or destructive burn pits 无毛视频� are 无毛视频渟ympathetic.无毛视频�
I have firsthand knowledge of that.
But how is it that only Republicans found something that was 无毛视频渦nrelated,无毛视频� that got 无毛视频渟neaked无毛视频� into the bill?
To be honest, there hadn无毛视频檛 been anything like that.
Republicans were proving you can find something to be against, even if it无毛视频檚 something that benefits the people who served their country in wartime.
I无毛视频檓 sure, you can find somebody who could even come out against cashing in their winning Mega Millions ticket.
Republicans, these days, are stuck in their 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 agin无毛视频� it无毛视频� world.
Two days after Toomey, with his empty claims about the Democrat无毛视频檚 trickery, the PACT Act passed the senate 86-11.
Guess who voted against it.
Yep!
Pat Toomey.
He was one of the Republicans who are on record as being against the health care of veterans.
They无毛视频檇 probably tell you they aren无毛视频檛 really against veterans无毛视频� health care. They无毛视频檒l give you the song and dance about keeping a tight hold on the nation无毛视频檚 purse strings.
That, of course, won无毛视频檛 fly.
Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho); James Lankford (R-Okla.); Mike Lee (R-Utah); Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.); Rand Paul (R-Ky.); James Risch (R-Idaho); Mitt Romney (R-Utah); Richard Shelby (R-Ala.); Thom Tillis (R-N.C.); Pat Toomey (R-Pa.); and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) voted against veterans无毛视频� health care.
Remember them.
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight, and 40-year TV news and newspaper veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.