If the PACT Act were targeted and if we could ensure the implementation of it by the VA would be executed in an efficient manner, I would have Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said that he supports the substance of the bill, but not the "accounting gimmick," and accused Sen. Remember that along with all the ones that voted against the PACT Act. We don't have billionaire backers like some right-wing media outlets. Burn pit veterans' bill: Who voted against the PACT Act? Of the 42 senators who voted against the Pact ACT, 41 were Republicans. But the vote was radically different from only a few weeks ago. The PACT Act is part of a broader conversation thats happening over veterans rights. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.". Remember that along with all the ones that voted against the PACT Act. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Currently, more than 70 percent of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to veterans inability to prove their illnesses or cancers are linked to exposure to burn pits. Jon Stewart, Ted Cruz feud over bill to aid veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. The Senate passed the PACT Act on Tuesday with the bipartisan support of 86 senators, with Rand Paul among 11 Republicans to vote against the bill. WebRT @sfpelosi: Extreme MAGA Republicans say they love our vets til its time to honor their service by funding their earned benefits. But, last week more than two dozen Republicans who voted for the bill in June voted against May 1 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden will welcome dozens of small business owners to the White House Monday to highlight private sector economic growth under his legislative agenda. Actions speak louder than words, and you just showed us who you are. Second of all, youve got no choice, right? These are the Republican Senators who voted against the bill: Only one Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted against the bill. And at the 11th hour, Sen. Toomey decides that he wants to rewrite the bill," she said. However, given the blowback the GOP has faced following its failure in the Senate last week, the party is likely more open to finding a compromise to quickly move it forward. With a slight majority that can be filibustered awayand at least two Democratic senators that have shown their corrupt asses by disappointing the American people, the absolutely made up right-wing trope of fiscal conservative concernmay leadto an unconscionablecompromise. The vote was a surprise, as the bill was originally passed by the Senate 84-14 on June 16 and received overwhelming Republican support. After Republicans initially blocked a bill that would expand benefits for veterans exposed to toxins while deployed, the Senate is now poised to pass the legislation in the coming days. Last week, sudden Republican opposition to the bill, called the PACT Act, left many veterans and their supporters shocked. The plus side is that During hearings, veteran and director of health policy at the American LegionKatie Purswelltold Congress that her exposure to burn pits during her time stationed overseas has left her weakened. The PACT Act "expands VA benefits for veterans who have been exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances," according to the VA. Nevertheless, senators voted for the measure overwhelmingly. "You think their trouble ends because the Pact Act passes? "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. I, too, remain committed to Idaho veterans impacted by burn pits and toxic exposure and will continue to support bipartisan legislation that can withstand necessary fiscal standards to ensure solvency and endurance, not additional slush fund spending placed on the American people, he added. The Senate on Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved the PACT Act, a bill to expand health care benefits for veterans who developed illnesses due to their exposure to burn pits during military service. While not all Republican senators who voted against the bill talked publicly about why they did so, Republican Senator Toomey said on the Senate floor that he voted against the bill because it would create $400 billion in unrelated spending. It's an outrage and there has to be accountability. First Class Heath Robinson, hugs Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) during Thursday's news conference. Vote Against And like Tillis, the senator raised additional concerns with wait times, suggesting the bill increases waiting periods at the VA and does not resolve lengthy backlogs for veterans seeking care. The bill like many issues related to veterans' health had amassed deep bipartisan support, and easily passed the Senate by an 84-14 vote in June. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. NOW WATCH: Meet the Republicans who are Trump's likely successors. May 1 (UPI) -- A recent decline in retail-level gasoline prices should start to accelerate, provided crude oil prices remain under pressure, a senior market analyst said Monday. 26 Apr 2023 18:54:28 Republicans decision to oppose the bill has been met with massive backlash; veterans activist and former television host John Stewart has made numerous appearances calling on the GOP to return to backing the bill, including on Fox News. Senate Republicans threatened to burn a bill that would have helped veterans. You just gave tax cuts in 2017 to the richest people in America. 26 Apr 2023 18:16:45 During hearings, veteran and director of health policy at the American LegionKatie Purswelltold Congress that her exposure to burn pits during her time stationed overseas has left her weakened. Apr. First Class Heath Robinson, for whom the bill is named. Senate passes burn pit legislation to expand veteran Who's running for president in 2024? The Senate Republicans who voted against the bill include: Richard Burr of North Carolina, Mike Crapo of Idaho, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, Congress has an obligation to ensure the VA can effectively and efficiently implement any comprehensive toxic exposure legislation and, unfortunately, I continue to have reservations about the Departments ability to do so, he told the news outlet. The bill was only expected to pass in the House because the Democratic Party holds the majority of seats. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of trying to block Toomey's amendment. The fight to make it harder for landlords to evict their tenants, On Succession, Sisyphus rolls the rock uphill. The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 86-11. We CANNOT trust the same extreme MAGA Republicans who voted against PACT ACT vets cancer care to fund it - they wont! Activists had spent a dozen years campaigning for such an expansion a period during which they lost many of their own, including Sgt. Republicans argue that under the PACT Act, Democrats could theoretically spend $40 billion annually over 10 years on other needs unrelated to veteran care because the $400 billion authorization over a decade is considered mandatory. Schumer has said he would schedule another procedural vote for Monday. First Republic Bank seized by regulators, sold to JPMorgan Chase. The bill increases healthcare funding and access for military veterans. A spokesperson for Rischs office said the senator was a strong supporter of veterans but did not support the $400 billion in mandatory spending. GOP senators vote against PACT act, a bill to help veterans impacted by toxic substances. research and benefits for as much as 3.5 million veterans, What's the PACT Act? Some of those senators are veterans themselves. #ProtectVeteransHealthCare. May 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. government said Monday that new flights in the East Coast should save commuters time, though recent data show nearly a quarter of passenger flights have been delayed this year. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Don't ever thank me for my service again.". Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. But, last week more than two dozen Republicans who voted for the bill in June voted against Trump calls for mistrial in civil rape case, says judge has made Watch live: White House monkeypox response team holds briefing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In remarks on the Senate floor, he decried it as a "budgetary Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on climate change, health care and taxes. #ProtectVeteransHealthCare. Tom Porter, the executive vice president for government affairs at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, noted that many of the 25 senators issued press releases touting their earlier votes in support of veterans, only to turn their backs on them. Republicans, including McConnell, claimed their opposition to the bill has been rooted in how spending would be approved. Stewart, the former talk show host who's become a high-profile veterans advocate, lambasted the Republican senators in a furious, expletive-laden speech. trillion dollar corporate tax cutBost helped pass in 2017. deemed mentally incompetent the right to continue to own firearms, "I choked on the odor from the winds when they would pick up after a while. After Republicans initially blocked a bill that would expand benefits for veterans exposed to toxins while deployed, the Senate is now poised to pass the legislation in the coming days. The Senate finally was poised to pass a bill that would provide health care and benefits for millions of veterans injured by exposure to toxins, from Agent Orange in Vietnam to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. WebRT @sfpelosi: Extreme MAGA Republicans say they love our vets til its time to honor their service by funding their earned benefits. Cancers and other issues alleged to be related to burn pits can come years later, as happened to Sgt. American Airlines pilots authorize strike. Nick Knudsen on Twitter: "RT @sfpelosi: Extreme "Thanks to President Biden, the millions of veterans who fought our wars for the past 30 years -- who breathed in debris from sandstorms, fumes from burning trash, and more while overseas -- are now taken care of for the conditions that followed them home from war," said Veterans' Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough. Instead, in a surprise move, 25 Republican senators blocked the measure on Wednesday even though they had voted in favor of it just one month earlier. In June, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision in favor of a veteran whose case was related to burn pit exposure in Torres v. Texas Department of Public Safety. The secret delegate battle that will decide the 2024 Republican nominee, The Dark Brandonmeme and why the Biden campaign has embraced it explained. Watching the final vote from the Senate gallery Tuesday night, comedian Jon Stewart, a vocal advocate for the bill and veterans, could be seen with tears in his eyes.