Leading the Charge Against the Biden Administration's Fear Mongering Among Veterans

This week, President Biden and his administration have ramped up their misinformation push against the Republican debt limit solution bill that we passed last week, H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (read more about the bill here). 

The administration even falsely asserted on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official website that Limit, Save, Grow would cut 22% of veterans’ funding. That is completely untrue. 

The debt limit package does not make any specific cuts to the VA. It simply returns topline Fiscal Year 2024 discretionary spending to Fiscal Year 2022 levels. In fact, every individual in the U.S. House Republican leadership has unequivocally stated on record that veterans’ health care and benefits are not on the table amid debt ceiling negotiations. Most recently, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise stated on Sunday that he will not bring any bill to the floor that makes cuts to VA funding.  

The truth is that House Republicans' debt solution protects Veterans' benefits, Social Security, and Medicare/Medicaid benefits.

Despite the ample information to the contrary, the Biden Administration continues to make false claims about looming cuts to veterans’ benefits. As a veteran myself, I find it insulting that the Biden Administration is using veterans as political talking points while spreading fear and anxiety about their benefits.

Today, I joined Congresswoman Jen Kiggans from Virginia and over 50 other lawmakers in writing a scathing letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough condemning the dishonest, partisan use of the VA 

Excerpts of the letter are below, or you can read the full letter here.

"Mr. Secretary, the Department’s assertions are dishonest and shameless. The facts are that nowhere in the Limit, Save, Grow Act is it indicated that the VA budget would be cut. The intent of the legislation is to set a topline number for the entire federal budget. Furthermore, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Chairwoman for the House Committee on Appropriations Kay Granger, Chairman for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Mike Bost, and others have all stated unequivocally that veterans will be protected, and the VA will be funded. The leaders of the Congressional bodies that oversee and fund the VA have all firmly stated that veterans’ earned care and benefits are not on the table. The VA purposely chose to ignore these facts in favor of baseless political talking points.  

Many members of Congress are deeply troubled and personally offended that the Biden Administration continues to use these dishonest talking points to create panic and fear in our veteran populations. The VA’s mission is to care for our veterans who have borne the battle. Our veterans made great sacrifices so that we may have the privilege to live freely in this great Nation. They did not make those sacrifices to be a talking point for a political party’s gain. They did not sacrifice themselves so they could be used as a pawn to create fear and anxiety among their fellow veterans. Political games have absolutely no place in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs."