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October 30, 2007
Harry Reid Pretending To Care About Veterans
Senate Democratic Leaders Call On President To End Delay, Nominate New Secretary Of Veterans Affairs
Washington, DC—As Veterans’ Day approaches, Senate Democratic leaders today issued the following letter to President Bush, urging him to quickly nominate a new Secretary of Veterans Affairs. With the military and VA stretched thin by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in light of mismanagement of veterans’ health care at facilities like Walter Reed, our veterans deserve able, permanent leadership.
Below is the text of the letter:
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to express our serious concerns about the extended delay in nominating a qualified individual to serve as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Secretary Nicholson tendered his resignation in mid-July and left his post at the end of September. As a result, the federal agency to which millions of veterans look for medical care, benefits and other services is now without a leader confirmed by the Senate.
It is important to note that when Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced his resignation on August 27, 2007, the White House named Judge Michael Mukasey as the nominee less than three weeks later. Our veterans, and the men and women who work at the Department of Veterans Affairs, are equally deserving of stable, permanent leadership and we are writing to urge you to immediately nominate a new Secretary of Veterans Affairs with a proven record of being an honest and independent advocate for veterans.
The absence of permanent, decisive leadership at the VA comes at a time when the agency needs strong, stable direction the most. From the enormous task of streamlining and improving the military and veterans disability systems, to implementing a joint electronic medical record, to caring for the large number of returning veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), the VA needs strong leadership to make the monumental changes to the VA system that our veterans deserve.
As you know, the VA system was stretched beyond capacity even before the current military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently, serious questions have been raised about the manner in which the VA screens, hires and monitors physicians and other health care professionals who work at VA facilities. Long-term resolution of such issues cry out for strong leadership. It seems unconscionable that you would allow an agency that is so critical to the men and women who have put their lives on the line for this nation to go without a permanent leader.
While we feel you have an obligation to act quickly to name someone to this important post, you also have an opportunity to nominate someone with the judgment, experience and stature to move beyond the problems and scandals that have plagued the VA and restore confidence in this essential agency.
Much has been said over the last six years about honoring the service and the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. But what matters to those who are fighting these wars is not the talk, but the actions we take. The lack of a qualified VA nominee more than three months after the resignation of the previous Secretary signals to our troops fighting today, to the veterans of wars past, and to the entire nation, that the Department of Veterans Affairs is not a priority for your administration.
We implore you to quickly nominate a Secretary who is a strong and independent advocate for veterans, so that we are truly able “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.”
Sincerely,
Senator Harry Reid
Majority Leader
Senator Richard Durbi
Assistant Majority Leader
Senator Charles Schumer
Vice Chairman
Democratic Conference
Senator Patty Murray
Secretary
Democratic Conference
Wild Thing's comment........
TRANSLATION of Reids letter:
“Please, oh please, send us another nominee so that we can have hearings and sanctimoniously attack you through him!”
This is just another democrat ploy to to make us think they support our Troops and Veterans. How about drive them all NUTZ and name Gen Stormin Normin Schwartzkopf. LOL The RatZ would absolutely go insane.
Posted by Wild Thing at October 30, 2007 12:45 AM
Comments
I like the VA. I think they do a tremeneous job, considering who they have to deal with. I work with wounded Iraq and Afgan vets to help them adapt and meld back into society.
While I love the Dallas VA, I would rather die pennyless and die without medical care that to accept anything that Reid or Pelosi had anything to do with. By accepting their (Dems) assistance I would be a pawn in their political adgenda and lower my standards as an American warrior.
Harry, using that quote in his last paragraph makes me sick to my insides.
I can only pray that I can live long enough to urinate on Harry Reid's grave.
Posted by: Steve, CLC at October 30, 2007 07:46 AM
More high visability politiking by the Democraps. Attention getting, vote searching by the socialist party. Reid probably does not know personally one veteran that uses a VA hospital.
Posted by: TomR at October 30, 2007 09:26 AM
How could Dingy Harry possibly know what a veteran needs, feels or desires? He has done absolutely nothing to garner their support, unless he views that support as his efforts to undermine the POTUS, malign the soldiers on the ground doing the dirty work that he has found contempuously beneath him. His and Pelosi's overtures to the enemy have cost the lives of our troops, they know this, as suredly as Viet vets knew when Kerry and Fonda collaborated with the enemy. His posturing is just another slap in the face gesture by the phoney he is in his BDS quest. Sorry WT Reid is and always will be a Ratbastard!!! So are all those who signed that letter.
Posted by: Jack at October 30, 2007 04:59 PM
Steve....."I can only pray that I can live long enough to urinate on Harry Reid's grave."......LOVE it. I hope you do too and a long time past that as well.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 30, 2007 11:36 PM
Tom I bet your right, I bet Reid never has visited a VA hospital, I would be shocked if he had and if he did that he was sincere about his visit and not to get votes. grrrr
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 30, 2007 11:39 PM
Jack, amen he sure is a Ratbastard!!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 30, 2007 11:41 PM
