Bob the Fraud Corker just made another terrible move. He has appointed Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant to chair his Veterans' committee.
Barely one month ago, this is what Bob Corker said about his new Veterans' committee co-chairs:
"Congressmen who voted to allow illegal immigration to become a crisis.
"Stood by as spending skyrocketed, but voted to raise their own pay. And then became registered lobbyists.
"The choice is yours: Ineffective career politicians or a successful businessman and mayor."
"If Bob Corker is turning to ineffective career politicians to lead his campaign, that's his business," said Ford campaign senior advisor Michael Powell. "Where it concerns veterans, we have to agree: Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant were ineffective, and their voting records prove it.
"We honor Congressman Hilleary and Bryant's service in uniform. But their voting record in Congress dishonored our nation's veterans.
"America's veterans need a new generation of leadership that will not break faith with them. That's why Veterans for Ford formed last week. Mayor Corker's efforts to play catch-up are more than late: they're incomplete."
Congressman Harold Ford Jr: A record of constantly standing up for our Veterans
- Harold Ford Jr has consistently voted to fully fund veteran's health care and medical services. He has supported over $60 billion in veteran's health care funding, voting for substantial increases every year he's been in Congress: [HR 2528, 11/18/2005; HR 2361, 07/26/05; HR 3130, 06/30/05; HR 3010, 06/24/05; HR 2528, 05/26/05; Amdt to HR 2528, 05/26/05; H.J.Res. 107, 9/29/04; H.Res. 685, 6/24/04; HR 3289, 10/31/03; HR 2861, 07/25/03; Motion to HJ Res 2, 01/29/03; HR 4514, 05/21/02; Motion to HR 2620, 07/30/01, HR 4635, 10/19/00; Motion to HR 3194, 11/18/99; Amdt to H Con Res 68, 03/25/99; Motion to HR 4194, 09/15/98; HR 2158, 10/08/97; Amdt to HR 2158, 07/16/97; Amdt to HR 1119, 06/23/97]
- Harold Ford Jr has fought and voted against recent attempts to cut or underfund veteran's health care by over 20 billion dollars: [H. Con. Res. 95, 3/21/03, S.Con.Res. 95, 5/19/04; Amdt to HR 1248, 3/15/05; H Con Res 95, 3/17/05; Amdt to HR 2528, 05/26/05; Amdt. to HR 3057, 06/28/05
- Ford Is Consistent Supporter Of War On Terror, Troops Fighting It. Congressman Ford has supported over $5 trillion in funding for the Defense, Homeland Security, and Intelligence agencies since 9/11 and introduced legislation to improve our efforts in the war on terror. He has supported every funding and appropriations bill requested by this Administration to fund the War on Terror. [H.R. 1559, 4/3/2003; H.R. 3289, 10/31/2003; H.R. 5122 05/11/06; H.R. 2863, 6/20/2005, Passed 398-19; H.R. 4613, 6/22/2004; H.R. 2360, 10/6/2005; H.R. 3673, 09/08/2005; H.R. 1815, 05/25/2005; H.R. 1817, 05/18/2005; H.R. 2360, 5/17/2005; H.R. 1268, 5/5/2005; H.R. 1268, 03/16/2005; H.R. 4567, 10/9/2004; H.R. 4200, 10/09/2004; H.R. 4567; H.R. 1588, 11/07/2003; H.R. 2658, 9/24/2003; H.R. 2555, 9/24/2003; H.R. 2555, 9/10/2003; H.R. 2555, 6/24/2003; H.R. 5010, 10/10/2002; H.R. 4547, 07/24/02; H.R. 4775, 7/23/2002, Passed 397-32; H.R. 1383, introduced 3/17/2005]
The Comparison
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted against adding additional funding for veterans' health care in Fiscal 2003 Continuing Appropriations: Obey, D-Wis., motion to recommit the joint resolution to the House Appropriations Committee with instructions that it be reported back with language that would provide for additional funding for veterans' health care, National Institutes of Health bioterrorism and research programs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and first responders, and corporate oversight activities of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Recommit HJR 124, 11/13/02, Failed 196-216
- Harold Ford Jr. VOTED FOR VETERANS, and for restoring full funding for veterans' health care.
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted against fully funding veterans' health care in 2001: Motion to recommit the bill to the House Appropriations Committee with instructions to add language increasing funding for VA medical care programs by an amount adequate to fully fund the cost of all currently authorized services, including those under the Veterans Millennium Health Care Act (PL 106-117). HR 2620, 07/30/01, Failed 196-230
- Harold Ford Jr. VOTED FOR VETERANS, and for full funding of veterans' health care.
Voted against a motion to recommit Fiscal 2000 Omnibus Appropriations Agreement with instructions to the House managers to not agree to any provisions that would reduce appropriations for medical care for veterans: Obey, D-Wis., motion to recommit the conference report on the bill with instructions to the House managers to not agree to any provisions that would reduce appropriations for medical care for veterans. Motion to HR 3194, 11/18/99, Vote #609
- Harold Ford Jr. VOTED FOR VETERANS, and for full funding of veterans' health care.
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted against increasing veterans' health care by $1.1 billion in 1999: The substitute Budget Resolution called for $12.2 billion more in defense spending, $3.4 billion more in discretionary agricultural spending and $1.1 billion for veterans' health care.
Amdt to H Con Res 68, 03/25/99, Rejected 134-295
- Harold Ford Jr. VOTED FOR VETERANS to increase veterans' health care.
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted against increasing veterans medical care by $1.1 billion a second time in 1999: The House affirmed the ruling of the chair that the Filner amendment to HR 2684 that sought to increase funding for veterans medical care by $1.1 billion and designate it as emergency spending was out of order. Amdt to, HR 2684, Roll Call #390, 09/08/99
- Harold Ford Jr. VOTED FOR VETERANS to increase veterans' health care.
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted to cut funding for mandatory veterans programs by $10.4 billion in 1998: The budget resolution cut mandatory spending for veterans' programs by approximately $10.4 billion over five years. H Con Res 284, 06/05/98
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted to underfund the Veterans Administration by $900 million: Hilleary and Bryant voted to cut nearly $900 million from the Administration's fiscal year 1996 request for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The cut impacted VA facilities improvement, and imposed limits on benefits that certain incompetent veterans in the care of the VA may receive. (CQV No. 607, 7/31/95, HR 2099; PASSED: 228-193).
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted to cut funding for veterans by $9.3 billion in 1996: The House adopted the conference report on HR 2099 that provided $80.6 billion in FY 1996 appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development. The amount was $9.3 billion less than FY 1995 and $9.2 billion less than the Presidents request. HR 2099, Roll Call #844, 12/07/95
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted to cut funding for veterans by $3.2 billion in 1997: VA-HUD Appropriations approved by the House provided $3.2 billion less than the President's request. (HR 3666, 06/26/96, Vote #282)
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted against an amendment that sought to increase funding for the Veterans Health Administration by $12 million: DeFazio amendment to HR 2099 that sought to transfer funding for the Selective Service System for a potential military draft and and increase funding for the Veterans Health Administration by $12 million. Amdt to HR 2099, Roll Call #597, 07/28/95
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted against amendment to restore $50 million for veterans' medical care: Obey, D-Wis., motion to restore $50 million for veterans' medical care and offset the increase by cutting 0.75 percent from obligated balances in the disaster assistance account. Motion to HR 1944, 06/29/95, Roll Call #463
Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant voted in favor of a $100 million cut from veterans' medical care accounts: The House rejected the Obey motion to instruct the House conferees on HR 1158 to reject cuts of $100 million from veterans medical care accounts." Motion to HR 1158, 05/02/95, Roll Call #303
- Harold Ford Jr. VOTED FOR VETERANS, and against cutting veterans' programs.
Lets honor our veterans this fall by electing someone to the United States Senate who will actually fight for their interests in Washington D.C.
The records speak for themselves.
Bob Corker, Van Hilleary, and Ed Bryant all ask our brave men and women to sacrafice for our nation, yet they gut them at every chance they get. That is not right.
Harold Ford Jr. is a friend of America's veterans. He has supported them both on the battle field and here at home.
Our veterans deserve better. Congressman Ford will give them better.
