Are some Republicans against veterans?
I was one of the lucky ones.
I served in Vietnam from May 1969 until May 1970.
So, when I was diagnosed with third-stage lung cancer 鈥� 10 years ago next month 鈥� I happened to qualify under the Veterans Affairs鈥� list of 鈥減resumptive diseases鈥� for Vietnam-era vets who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. That meant that all of my doctor鈥檚 visits, medications, tests, radiation and chemotherapy have been covered 鈥� at no charge.
I鈥檓 one of hundreds of thousands of military men and women whose lives have been saved medically and financially 鈥� thanks to the largess of the U.S. government.
Now the military men and women who served this country since 1990 in various Middle East, Southwest Asia, and African countries need increased medical attention because they鈥檝e been exposed to burn pits.
There were piles of paint, chemicals, plastics, human waste, and munitions that were burned in open pits.
Nine forms of cancer and several respiratory conditions are covered under what鈥檚 called the PACT Act (Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) 鈥� which also includes added benefits for hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War-era veterans and their survivors 鈥� who suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Who could ever be against something this helpful?
Well, a group of Republicans can!
That鈥檚 who.
Back in June, the PACT Act sailed through the U.S. Senate with a vote of 84-14 鈥� with every Democrat and all but 14 Republicans voting for it.
(Pennsylvania鈥檚 Republican senator, Pat Toomey, was one of the 14.)
However, after a minor change was made to the bill, it was sent back to the Senate and failed to get the requisite number of votes (60) to move it forward 鈥� 55-41. This time, all 41 holdouts are Republican.
(Again, Pennsylvania鈥檚 Republican senator, Pat Toomey, was one of the 41.)
That set off a loud protest from comedian Jon Stewart, who鈥檇 vigorously championed the campaign in support of 9/11 first responders 鈥� which led to significant legislation to greatly help them.
Stewart didn鈥檛 mince any words.
He appeared all over the 24-hour news channels, with strong words aimed at reluctant Republicans.
鈥淭hese men and women have suffered for so many years exposed to these, and the government has not fulfilled their promise to them, and it has to get done,鈥� he said on Fox News.
Toomey didn鈥檛 back down. He threw his own verbal monkey-wrench into the fray.
鈥淭his is the oldest trick in Washington. People take a sympathetic group of Americans 鈥� and then sneak something completely unrelated; that they know could never pass on its own, and dare Republicans to do anything about it,鈥� Toomey said on CNN.
Well, I agree people sent into battle for their country, who鈥檝e become the victims of unforeseen culprits 鈥� like Agent Orange or destructive burn pits 鈥� are 鈥渟ympathetic.鈥�
I have firsthand knowledge of that.
But how is it that only Republicans found something that was 鈥渦nrelated,鈥� that got 鈥渟neaked鈥� into the bill?
To be honest, there hadn鈥檛 been anything like that.
Republicans were proving you can find something to be against, even if it鈥檚 something that benefits the people who served their country in wartime.
I鈥檓 sure, you can find somebody who could even come out against cashing in their winning Mega Millions ticket.
Republicans, these days, are stuck in their 鈥淚鈥檓 agin鈥� it鈥� world.
Two days after Toomey, with his empty claims about the Democrat鈥檚 trickery, the PACT Act passed the senate 86-11.
Guess who voted against it.
Yep!
Pat Toomey.
He was one of the Republicans who are on record as being against the health care of veterans.
They鈥檇 probably tell you they aren鈥檛 really against veterans鈥� health care. They鈥檒l give you the song and dance about keeping a tight hold on the nation鈥檚 purse strings.
That, of course, won鈥檛 fly.
Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho); James Lankford (R-Okla.); Mike Lee (R-Utah); Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.); Rand Paul (R-Ky.); James Risch (R-Idaho); Mitt Romney (R-Utah); Richard Shelby (R-Ala.); Thom Tillis (R-N.C.); Pat Toomey (R-Pa.); and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) voted against veterans鈥� health care.
Remember them.
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight, and 40-year TV news and newspaper veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.