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Thursday, July 13, 2006

Iraq War Veterans Rip Santorum On Vet Votes

Iraq War Veterans Rip Santorum On Vet Votes

“He voted against veterans before he voted for them,” says Chairman of VoteVets.org

NEW YORK – As Senator Rick Santorum prepares to address the American Legion on Friday, the head of VoteVets.org (formerly IAVA PAC) reminded Pennsylvanians to remember the Senator’s real record.

“Senator Santorum will highlight his superficial role in appropriating emergency funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, in his speech, but his record shows he has been one of the Senate’s most hostile members to the troops and veterans,” said Pittsburgh native, Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org, Jon Soltz. “Rick Santorum voted against veterans before he voted for them.”

In just the last few years, Senator Santorum turned his back on troops and veterans multiple times. Senator Santorum:

Had the audacity to vote against appropriating a billion more dollars for procurement of proper body armor and other equipment for Guardsmen and Reservists risking their lives in Iraq, just when body armor issues were coming to the forefront. (Motion to table Landrieu Amendment No. 452, 4/2/2003)·

Voted to deny the Veterans Health Administration millions of additional dollars by restoring pre-2001 taxes on those making more than $1m and closing tax loopholes corporations exploit. (Stabenow Amendment No. 3141, 3/16/2006)".

Voted against giving veterans medical care programs an additional $1.5 billion in 2007. (Akaka Amendment No. 3007, 3/14/2006)·

Voted to disallow a vote on an amendment that would ensure that veterans health programs always receive proper funding (Motion to waive CBA, Stabenow Amendment No. 1937, 10/6/2005)·

Voted against giving families of the fallen the same amount families of first responders on 9.11 received. Santorum was one of only 25 Senators to take such an extreme stand. Motion to table Kerry Amendment No. 334, 4/13/2005",1].

Voted against giving veterans medical care programs an additional $1.5 billion in 2007. (Akaka Amendment No. 3007, 3/14/2006).

Voted with the extreme of his party to deny Guardsmen and Reservists called to war and had to leave their jobs without pay do not suffer economically. Only 39 other Senators voted in this way (Motion to table Durbin Amendment No. 356, 4/13/2005).

Voted against $1.98 billion more for the VA, including hundreds of millions for health care for those fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan when they returned. (Motion to waive CBA, Murray Amendment No. 344, 4/12/2005)·

Voted no to increase veterans’ medical care by $2.8 billion in 2006. (Akaka Amendment No. 149, 3/16/2005)·

Voted against closing corporate tax loopholes to pay for an increase of $1.8 billion in veterans’ health programs by billions. (Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 2745, 2/10/2004)·

Voted no to create a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans medical care by $2.7 billion and lower the national debt by reducing the President's tax breaks for taxpayers with incomes in excess of $1 million a year. (Daschle Amendment No. 2710, 3/9/2004",1]
6/23/2004).

VoteVets.org (formerly IAVA PAC) is the nation’s only political action committee headed by Iraq war veterans, dedicated to electing other Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to public office.