Want to know more about Rep. Ryans tenure in Congress, especially in voting as a GOTP foot soldier, i.e. a rubber stamper to the previous administration and obstructionist since. After all he's been in Congress for nearly 13 years, but Rep. Paul Ryan (TR-Wis.) has only seen two of his bills pass into law during that time. On the side of making policy his record doesn't match his pay and benefits of the job, so we only got his 'foot soldier' voting record, especially related to military veterans while soldiers are in long occupations, to look at.
They, the tepubs, did virtually nothing for the veterans community when they controlled congress and especially the control under the previous administration and after 9/11 when they started rubber stamping costs for wars, two wars of choice as they abandoned the main mission for even sending soldiers into that region with the first drum beat pointed at Iraq. Then when the dems took back congress, not enough numbers in the senate, everything the house tried to advance in helping correct what wasn't done previous the 'foot soldier' tepub obstructed, then they get the house back and have tried to cut the VA budget since!
You can view the research book in full or for the section on the rest of the votes on Veterans scroll down to page 268 and as said above it goes to page 270, in the full book you'll find the backlinks, including the Veterans section, not included in the cuts below, of the sources for the reseach, congressional bills and more.
BenefitsRyan Voted Against Protecting Veterans’ Benefits from the Cut, Cap, and Balance Cuts. In July 2011, Ryan voted against a motion to recommit the bill with instructions that it be reported back with an amendment that would state that it will not be in order to consider balanced-budget constitutional amendments that could result in a reduction in veterans benefits. According to the St. Louis Dispatch, “Members defeated, 236-188, a bid by Democrats to protect veterans’ benefits from being trimmed in the $5.8 trillion, 10-year budget-cutting plan imposed by HR 2560…A yes vote backed the motion over GOP arguments that the plan already protected veterans’ benefits in full.” [Roll Call 605, H 2560, 07/19/2011; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7/25/11]
Ryan Supported Budget that Cut Veterans Programs. In 2005, Ryan voted in favor of final passage of the $2.6 trillion budget conference report for 2006. The conference report cut funding for veterans’ health care by $13.5 billion over five years. However, the budget still found room for $106 billion in tax cuts for those who need it the least. The budget passed 214-211. [Roll Call 149, S 95, 04/28/2005; House Budget Committee Democratic Caucus, “Summary and Analysis of FY 2006 Budget Resolution Conference Report,” 4/28/05]
Ryan Opposed Fiscally Responsible FY 2009 Budget With $48.1 Billion for Veterans’ Services. In 2008, Ryan voted against a budget resolution that would establish the congressional budget for FY 2009. The resolution would call for expenditures of $3.1 trillion and would allow up to $1 trillion in discretionary spending, plus $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $5.8 billion for hurricane recovery. The bill would also include $48.1 billion in funding for veterans’ 269 benefits and services. The bill passed 212-207. [Roll Call 141, S 312, 03/13/2008; Congressional Quarterly; “Summary of the 2009 Democratic Budget”; House Committee on the Budget, 3/11/08]
Ryan Opposed Budget that Included Record Increase for Veterans. In 2007, Ryan voted against the fiscal year 2008 budget conference report that began to reverse six years of Republican fiscal mismanagement, provided for middle-class tax relief and would return the budget to balance – reaching a surplus of $41 billion in 2012 – without raising taxes. The budget increased funding or veterans’ health care and services by $6.7 billion (18.3 percent) above the 2007 enacted level, and $3.6 billion above the President’s budget. According to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the budget represented a “historic $6.7 billion increase” over the previous year’s budget. Meanwhile, the American Legion wrote, “The American Legion and its 2.8 million members applaud… the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Resolution.” According to the Military Officers Association of America, “...the resolution makes a strong statement of Congress’s commitment to restoring national confidence that our wounded warriors will receive the kind of first-quality care and services that they have earned...” The budget also saved veterans from paying increased fees totaling $355 million in 2008 and $2.3 billion over five years. The President’s budget imposed those new enrollment fees and increases co-payments on Priority 7 and 8 veterans. The budget passed 214-209. [Roll Call 377, S 21, 05/17/2007; House Budget Committee, Conference Agreement on the FY 2008 Budget Resolution: Building on the “Six for ‘06, 5/24/07; Military Officers Association of America; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Washington Weekly, 5/25/07]
Ryan Opposed Historic Funding Increase For Veterans Programs. In 2007, Ryan voted against a budget that provided a $6.6 billion increase in funding for veterans programs. However, the Veterans of Foreign Wars applauded the budget, and the House and Senate leadership who were instrumental in the adoption of this historic increase. These additional resources would cover increases in the costs of health care, the VA’s increasing patient load, including veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and help cover the cost of forthcoming recommendations to improve military and veterans’ health care facilities and treatment. The budget passed 216-210. [Roll Call 212, S 99, 03/29/2007; VFW Washington Weekly, 4/2/07; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-4]
Ryan Opposed Veterans’ Health Care Funds. In 2007, Ryan voted against legislation that provided critical funding for veterans health care, including funds to enhance medical services for active duty forces, mobilized personnel and their family members and $1.7 billion for veterans’ health care priorities including maintenance at VA health care facilities like Walter Reed. The measure included: $550 million to address the maintenance backlog at VA health care facilities to prevent situations similar to those at Walter Reed; $250 million for medical administration to ensure sufficient personnel to address the rising number of veterans and to maintain a high level of service; $229 million for treating the growing number of veterans; $100 million to allow the VA to contract with private mental healthcare providers to offer veterans, including Guard and reserve members, quality and timely care; and, $62 million to speed claims processing for returning veterans. The measure passed 218-212 [Roll Call 186, H 1591, 03/23/2007; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3]
Ryan Supported FY 2005 Budget Trashed by Veterans’ Groups. In 2004, Ryan voted in favor of a budget that was strongly opposed by major veterans’ organizations. A coalition of veterans groups, including the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was vehemently opposed to the bill. “Passage of the budget resolution, as presented, would be a disservice to those men and women who have served this country and who are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world in our fight against terrorism,” the groups said. The budget resolution passed 215-212 [Roll Call 92, S 393, 03/25/2004; Letter to Members, 3/23/04]
Ryan Opposed Motion To Allow Veterans With Service-Related Disabilities And 20 Years’ Honorable Service To Receive Full Disability Benefits And Full Retirement Pay. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “Voting 188 for and 217 against, the House defeated a Democratic bid to allow veterans with a service-related disability and at least 20 years’ honorable service to receive full disability benefits as well as full retirement pay. At present, most veterans must deduct disability income from retirement pay in a subtraction known as the ‘disabled veterans tax.’ The motion was offered to the 270 defense bill above, which already included GOP language phasing out the ‘tax’ for about one-third of affected veterans. If not offset elsewhere in the budget, the Democratic motion would add over $50 billion to the national debt over 10 years. A yes vote backed full, dual benefits.” Ryan voted no. [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 11/9/03]
Ryan Voted to Cut Funding for Veterans’ Programs, Impose Enrollment Fees. In 2003, Ryan voted for a budget that called for cutting $15 billion from veterans’ benefits, including veterans’ pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The Disabled Veterans of America strongly opposed the budget, sending a letter to all members of Congress “to communicate our deep-seated outrage regarding the fiscal year 2004 budget adopted by the House Budget Committee, which would cut veterans’ programs by more than $15 billion during the next 10 years.” The GOP budget also included the President’s proposal to impose a $250 fee for enrollment in VA health care for category 7 and 8 veterans, along with a doubling of the drug co-payment for those veterans. The budget passed 215-212 [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; Letter from Edward R. Heath, National Commander, Disabled Veterans of America, 3/17/03]
Paul Ryan Voted to Cut Funding for Veterans Benefits By $25 Billion, Imposed Enrollment Fees. In 2003, Paul Ryan voted for a budget that called for cutting $25 billion from veterans’ benefits, including veterans’ pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The Disabled Veterans of America strongly opposed the budget, sending a letter to all members of Congress “to communicate our deep-seated outrage regarding the fiscal year 2004 budget adopted by the House Budget Committee, which would cut veterans programs by more than $15 billion during the next 10 years.” The GOP budget also included the President’s proposal to impose a $250 fee for enrollment in VA health care for category 7 and 8 veterans, along with a doubling of the drug co-payment for those veterans. The budget passed 215-212. [Roll Call 82, S 95, 03/21/2003; Letter from Edward R. Heath, National Commander, Disabled Veterans of America, 3/17/03]
Funding
Ryan Voted Against Spending an Additional $20 Million to Prevent Suicides by Combat Veterans. In June 2011, Ryan voted against a motion to recommit the Fiscal 2012 Military Construction-VA Appropriations bill with instructions that it be reported back with an amendment to increase funding for veterans medical services for PTSD and suicide prevention by $20 million. The funds would advertise suicide-prevention assistance and services for veterans. The $20 million would be offset by reducing funding for the Department of Veteran Affairs’ information technology program by $25 million. The motion to recommit failed, 184 to 234. [Roll Call 417, H 2055, 06/14/2011; Virginian-Pilot, 6/20/11]
GI Bill
Ryan Opposed New GI Bill. In 2008, Ryan voted against an amendment that would create an expanded educational benefit for veterans, imposing a surtax on the very wealthy to offset the costs of the new veterans’ program and suspend implementation of seven Bush administration Medicaid regulations. The amendment appropriated $21.2 billion for domestic programs, military construction and foreign aid programs. It would provide $4.6 billion for military construction and $5.8 billion for levee building in Louisiana. The amendment would provide a permanent expansion of education benefits for post-Sept. 11 veterans, offset with 0.47 percent surtax on modified adjusted gross income above $500,000 per year for individuals and $1 million for couples. It also would temporarily extend unemployment insurance benefits and place a moratorium through March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the administration. It would appropriate $9.9 billion for the State Department, USAID and international food assistance. The amendment passed 256-166 [Roll Call 330, H 2642, 05/15/2008; Congressional Quarterly, Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 5/16/08]
Again, you can visit the research book to find the rest of the votes, more opposed then in support related to veterans and from a rubber stamper of off the books war costs including no bid contracts, as well as embedded links to the research sources, actual bills and votes as well as others.
Related Posts: Ryan Seeking to Cut Already Underfunded VA Budget
Iraq Veteran Beau Biden's Warning on Romney and the VA
And an article from another Iraq War Vet from earlier this year: GOP Budget Doesn't Even Say the Word "Veteran"
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