American Bridge 21st Cenutry Press Secretary Katie Lewallen released the following statement in response to the Koch backed “veterans” group, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) recent ad buy backing Congressman Joe Heck:
“Koch support has paid off for Washington Republican Joe Heck, who has advocated special interests over representing Nevadans. Joe Heck and the Koch created CVA push policies that would privatize the VA and could result in one-fifth of future veterans being ineligible for VA care. Those who served in uniform deserve to receive the care they were promised, and Joe Heck has proven that he will not represent working and military families in Nevada.”
Read more about the Concerned Veterans for America here, “The Vets Group That Fights Against Veterans.”
Read more about Heck’s record on voting against legislation to protect veterans’ healthcare from being turned in to a voucher program and opposing increased funding for PTSD treatment and awareness:
Heck’s Record On Veterans’ Healthcare
2011: VOTED AGAINST A BILL TO PREVENT VETERANS’ HEALTHCARE FROM BEING TURNED INTO A VOUCHER PROGRAM
2011: Heck Voted Against A Bill Preventing Veterans’ Healthcare From Being Turned Into A Voucher Program. In April 2011, Heck voted against the Democrats’ proposed budget resolution that explicitly prevented veterans’ healthcare from becoming a voucher program . According the text of the budget resolution, “It is the policy of the House that the important health care safety net for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations provided by Medicaid should be preserved and should not be dismantled by converting Medicaid into a block grant that is incapable of responding to increased need that may result from trends in health care costs or economic conditions.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the House Democrats’ proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 166 to 259. [House Vote 276, 4/15/11; Congressional Record, 4/15/11]
HECK VOTED AGAINST INCREASING FUNDING FOR PTSD TREATMENT
2011: Heck Voted Against Adding $20 Million To VA Funding Bill To Publicize Suicide Prevention Services For Veterans. In June 2011, Heck voted against an amendment that would have increased Fiscal Year 2012 funding for “advertising of assistance and services for the prevention of suicide among veterans” by $20 million. The amendment was proposed as a motion to recommit the Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (H.R. 2055). The motion failed by a vote of 184-234. [House Vote 417, 6/14/11; Congressional Record, 6/14/11]
- Opponents Of The Amendment Believed Psychological Trauma Was Fully Funded In The Underlying Bill Already. Speaking on the House floor in opposition to the amendment, Congressman Culberson said, “Mr. Speaker, I would point out that the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs has worked in an arm-in-arm, bipartisan way in support of our troops, in support of our veterans. And we have provided funding for every need that was presented to the committee to help our men and women in uniform do the job that they do every day defending this Nation, to help our veterans as they move out of active duty into retired status, to help the Veterans Administration treat not only the veterans who have suffered or been injured in combat in defense of this Nation, but also those veterans who have suffered in some way psychological trauma that would put them at risk of suicide, a growing problem, and one that the committee is deeply concerned about, and, in fact, the committee has fully funded at the President’s request of $69.9 million. The committee has provided essentially $70 million at the President’s request, at the request of the Veterans Administration. We have fully funded in every way the request of the professionals in this area, what they believe is necessary to meet the need that they have determined is out there among the veterans of this Nation.” [Congressional Record, 6/14/11]
2014: Heck Voted Against A $5 Million Increase In Funding For Defense Health Program Treatment Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In June 2014, Heck effectively voted against an amendment to the FY 2015 Defense Appropriations bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would increase by $5 million the amount provided for Defense-wide operations and maintenance, intended for sexual assault prevention. It would increase by $10 million the amount provided for the Defense Health Program, of which $5 million would be intended for electronic health records at the Department of Veterans Affairs and $5 million for treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. It would decrease by $15 million the amount provided for research, development, test and evaluation.” The vote was on a motion to recommit the underlying bill to the House Appropriations Committee with instructions that it be reported back immediately with the specified amendment; the House rejected the motion by a vote of 190 to 220. [House Vote 337, 6/20/14; Congressional Quarterly, 6/20/14]
- 2014: The Amendment Heck Voted Against Would Have Increased Funding For Treatment Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder By $5 Million.In June 2014, Heck effectively voted against an amendment to the FY 2015 Defense Appropriations bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would increase by $5 million the amount provided for Defense-wide operations and maintenance, intended for sexual assault prevention. It would increase by $10 million the amount provided for the Defense Health Program, of which $5 million would be intended for electronic health records at the Department of Veterans Affairs and $5 million for treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. It would decrease by $15 million the amount provided for research, development, test and evaluation.” The vote was on a motion to recommit the underlying bill to the House Appropriations Committee with instructions that it be reported back immediately with the specified amendment; the House rejected the motion by a vote of 190 to 220. [House Vote 337, 6/20/14; Congressional Quarterly, 6/20/14]
- 2014: Opponents To The Amendment Said The Underlying Bill Already Adequately Addressed The Issue Of Funding For Psychological Health. Speaking on the House floor in opposition to the amendment, Congressman Frelinghuysen said, “Mr. Speaker, with strong leadership from Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey, our bill already funds the administration’s request for electronic health records. This includes $124 million for interoperability efforts for the two current systems of both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Efforts are already underway to allow clinicians and users now to have operable records. In regard to sexual assaults, our recommendation provides approximately $275 million, an increase of $50 million over fiscal year 2014, which fully funds the President’s request for sexual assault prevention. Mr. Speaker, with regards to traumatic brain injury funding, this bill, our bill, also includes over $400 million in research and development funds for traumatic brain injury and psychological health, and over $600 million in operation and maintenance funding to care for our wounded servicemembers, not to mention the amendments we have already accepted on the floor over the last couple of days. These are important programs. They are supported by Republicans and Democrats, and I may say, they are adequately supported in this bill.” [Congressional Record, 6/20/14]