Inexplicable. Rick Nolan votes to rob veterans of heath benefits

June 5, 2013

veteran

Yesterday, Rick Nolan was one of ONLY FOUR representatives to vote against the annual appropriations bill that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs. Every other member of the Minnesota delegation, Republican and Democrat, voted for it.

This is a far cry from what we heard Nolan saying during his election, “I think we should leave no stone unturned in providing housing, health care, and job training and jobs for the heroes, the men and women who have served our country.”Rick Nolan, October 2012

Once again, Rick Nolan’s rhetoric doesn’t match his record.

Minnesota’s 8th district is home to more than 61,000 veterans (or  9% of the total population) and has 3 full service VA centers.

With Nolan’s NO vote yesterday, he robbed the Duluth Veterans Center, Brainerd Community Based Outpatient Clinic and the Hibbing VA Clinic of access to a $55 billion fund.  Nolan voted against:

  • funding VA Health Care Programs
  • funding VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, contract hospitals, state homes and outpatient programs
  • funding VA medical, rehabilitative, health services and prosthetic research
  • funding for VA Disability payments
  • VA funding to improve VA medical facilities

“For Nolan to play politics with the health of our Nation’s bravest men and women is cowardly. Minnesota veterans deserve a Representative who will fight to protect them while they fight to protect our country.” — Alleigh Marré, NRCC Spokeswoman