Kaptur Issues Warning on GOP Plan to Slash VA Budget

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur sounded the alarm for U.S. veterans and service members today, coming out strongly against GOP-led efforts to cut veterans medical care by $690 million in the FY 2016 Veterans Administration (VA) budget. These cuts would result in an estimated 70,000 fewer veterans receiving VA medical care.

“Our nation’s veterans fought to defend our way of life, and many of them risked everything to do it,” said Rep. Kaptur. “They have earned the best possible care and support. But instead of fulfilling this sacred responsibility, my Republican colleagues have proposed to find budget savings by withholding services from tens of thousands of veterans. These are not people who should ever be subjected to political maneuvers or budgetary games. I urge my colleagues in Congress to pass a budget that does not degrade care for our nation’s veterans.”

The proposed cuts are a result of the House mark-up of the latest appropriations bill, which will set funding levels for FY2016. They include cuts to VA medical care, IT accounts, all VA discretionary accounts, and the elimination of four major construction projects and five cemetery expansions.

“The nationwide crisis in care and confidence that erupted in the VA last year was caused in many ways by a lack of adequate resourcing that only Congress is authorized to provide,” said VFW Commander-in-Chief John W. Stroud. “The VA cannot fulfill its mission without proper funding, but the House for whatever reason now wants to ration care, eliminate infrastructure projects, and stop improving upon the programs and services that the VA was created to provide. This bill is bad for veterans and any vote for it is unconscionable.”

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