Political Quotes

“I will also offer an amendment tonight, and the purpose is very clear: it is to protect the health care of our Nation's servicemembers, veterans, and their widows, orphans, and dependents. The problem is, since the debate on health care reform began, our veterans and their families have asked for just one thing: Protect our health care benefit. The President even promised. He said that "one thing that reform will not change is veterans health care. No one is going to take away your benefits--that is the plain and simple truth." Unfortunately, the Patients Protection and Affordable Care Act does not explicitly protect the health care of our Nation's servicemembers, veterans, their widows, orphans, or dependents. Let me explain why. Under this health care bill, it requires a minimal essential coverage of any health care plan. The requirements for that health care do not clearly include TRICARE, which is the Active-Duty family members of our troops; the VA's spina bifida program for children under our Agent Orange veterans under chapter 18 of title 38; and CHAMPVA, a program run out of the Veterans Administration for spouses and dependent children of veterans who died or are profoundly disabled as a result of military service; and possibly VA's vocational rehabilitation program.”