Elise Stefanik: Democrats are ”lying’ about veterans’ benefits cuts

Home Republicans say President Biden and Democrats are mendacity about cuts to companies for veterans underneath laws not too long ago handed within the chamber to lift the debt ceiling and keep away from default on the nationwide debt.

The GOP-led invoice, which Senate Democrats and the White Home say is a non-starter as a result of it slashes budgets throughout the federal authorities, would return non-defense spending to 2022 ranges. Democrats and the V.A. argue that will quantity to a 22% reduce to the Division of Veterans Affairs.

The GOP laws doesn’t cite particular cuts to the V.A. or its packages, but it surely additionally doesn’t embody safeguards to make sure the company just isn’t affected by the proposed spending decreases.

“Joe Biden and Democrats are so determined to cowl up for Joe Biden’s weak spot and absolute failure on the debt ceiling negotiations, that they’re shamelessly mendacity about veterans advantages and politicizing the V.A. to take action,” Home Republican Convention Chair Elise Stefanik stated on a name to reporters Sunday. “That is sadly nothing new.”

Rep. Mike Bost, Illinois Republican and chairman of the Home Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, sought to supply assurances that the Republican invoice would permit cash to be shifted round all through the federal authorities in order that cuts wouldn’t have an effect on the V.A.

“Let me repeat this once more, and we’re going to repeat it a number of instances: No cuts to the VA finances. No veteran will lose advantages. Their advantages are owed to them,” Mr. Bost stated.

He stated that “in my 9 years as a member of Congress, I’ve by no means seen using an company that’s so vitally vital to so many individuals be used as a political hammer to ship a message that’s false in order that it might stir folks as much as trigger our veterans for use as pawns.”

The V.A. has stated returning to final yr’s funding ranges, which might quantity to roughly $130 billion in cuts to non-defense packages and companies for the following fiscal yr, would value 81,000 jobs and imply 30 million fewer outpatient visits for veterans.

The Republican measure would increase the debt restrict by $1.5 trillion till Could 2024 with $4.8 trillion in deficit discount measures, cap finances development to 1% yearly over the following decade, rescind at the very least $90.5 billion in unspent pandemic reduction, cancel Mr. Biden’s scholar mortgage forgiveness program, and scrap green-energy tax credit that Democrats handed final yr.

The laws’s passage turned up the strain on Mr. Biden to strike a cope with Republicans in change for elevating the debt restrict, a transfer he has up to now resisted.

“We simply handed a invoice that addresses the debt ceiling. And for all that we hear from our Senate associates, they’ve but to cross something. In the event that they bought a greater thought, I need to see that invoice and inform them to cross it via the Senate,” Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican, stated on ABC’s “This Week.” 

Mr. Scalise says Mr. Biden now has to return to the negotiating desk.

“It’s time now for the president to get on this recreation, get off the sidelines and let’s begin negotiating and figuring this out — not in June once we get into the midnight hour, however in the present day,” he stated.

Most Senate Democrats are sticking by Mr. Biden in his refusal to barter spending cuts to elevate the debt ceiling, however cracks have begun to emerge amongst extra reasonable and swing-district Democrats who say the U.S. can’t danger defaulting.

It’s been months since Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, and Mr. Biden sat down to debate the approaching fiscal cliff, which is anticipated to happen someday in June.

Sen. Bernard Sanders endorsed the concept of Mr. Biden coming to the negotiating desk however solely over federal spending cuts within the annual finances. He stated something aside from a clear debt restrict increase to avert a default on the nationwide debt ought to be off the desk.

“I believe we will begin negotiating tomorrow, however you can’t be holding the American folks or the world’s economic system hostage,” Mr. Sanders, a Vermont unbiased who caucuses with Democrats, stated on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “What the Republicans have gotten to say is, ‘completely, we’re going to be sure that we pay our money owed.’ Let’s sit down and negotiate a finances.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, California Democrat, repeated the Democratic speaking level about Republicans and veterans’ advantages as he defended Mr. Biden.

“The president’s saying he’s not going to be hostage in having veterans cuts on well being care and having cuts on Okay via 12 schooling, in having cuts on meals stamps, in having cuts in manufacturing to simply pay our payments,” Mr. Khanna stated on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”