Outrage erupted Thursday morning as Republicans were accused of pulling a “dirty trick” to “sneak” through a bill that one Democratic senator called “the biggest cut to veterans’ benefits in American history” — on Veterans Day.
“House Republicans resorted to a blatant abuse of established procedure — bypassing a fair vote — to sneak the biggest cut to veterans’ benefits in American history,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in a statement published on social media.
“This disrespect & deduction to well-deserved disability compensation is totally unacceptable, most especially on Veterans Day. Such secretive & shameful tactics are condemnable.”
The “Take Care of America’s Veterans Act” passed the House by voice vote on Wednesday. It expands some benefits, such as letting more combat-injured veterans collect both retirement pay and disability compensation, but pays for them by cutting the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability ratings for tinnitus and sleep apnea.
The VA projects those cuts would reduce disability compensation by up to $57 billion over 10 years and affect up to 1.5 million veterans, according to The Lobby News. Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, or VFW, called the bill the “largest net benefit cut since the Great Depression,” and argued it established a “dangerous precedent that would allow Congress to cut veterans’ earned benefits to finance unrelated federal spending.”
“House Republicans ended Veterans Day by pissing off every combat Veteran organization,” argued Matt McNally, a veteran and former Democratic candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives. “They cut veterans benefits and then turn around and celebrate it, and act like we should be grateful. How insulting.”
Countless Democratic lawmakers and critics condemned Republicans for pushing the bill through.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) criticized Republicans for resorting to “an outrageous procedural maneuver” to force the legislation through, calling it a “disgraceful abuse of House procedure” and a “betrayal to veterans and military families.” Prominent podcaster Allison Gill called Republicans’ legislative maneuver a “dirty trick.”
Blumenthal vowed to defeat the legislation when it ultimately reaches the Senate, writing that Republicans’ “disgusting slash to veterans’ benefits will be defeated in the Senate.”
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