Where do the 2016 Presidential Candidates Stand on Veterans Issues

March 1, 2016 - Posted By Andrew Jones

Tomorrows Super Tuesday primaries are an important step towards the nomination. Make sure you know where your candidate stands on veterans issues before you cast your ballot.

Republicans

Donald Trump

• Declined to participate in one republican debate and instead held a fundraiser to raise money for veterans.
• The fundraiser was held on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project, which has recently received criticism for excessive executive compensation and high fundraising costs.
• Does not support privatization of the VA
• Plans to allow veterans full access to any facility that accepts Medicare to promote competition between VA and non-VA facilities.
• Wants more money to be allocated to PTSD, traumatic brain injury and suicide prevention.
• Plans on finding and removing corrupt VA officials
• Solicits donations through donaldtrumpforvets.com, which claims that 100% of donations will go directly to veterans needs when in fact the donation go directly to the Donald trump foundation which only donated $57,000 to veterans organizations between 2009 and 2013.

On other issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/Donald_Trump.htm

Ted Cruz

• Voted against the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act citing that although it did contain positive measure, it did not address current problems within the VA and made some existing problems worse.
• Supports privatized treatment option that would allow veterans to see doctors outside of the VA, but does not support privatization of the VA itself.
• Holds the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for “falsely denying care” and wants anyone criminally liable to be prosecuted.
• Voted against S. 1982 which sought to expand health benefits for veterans to veterans from every generation and improve education benefits for veterans. The bill was lent full support by the American Legion who believed it addressed high priority issues for veterans.

On other issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Ted_Cruz.htm

Marco Rubio

• Introduced legislation (VA Management Accountability Act of 2014) with House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller that allows secretaries of the VA to fire senior executives at the VA that are not doing their jobs.
• Advocates that the VA should provide subsidized private insurance to veterans to foster competition and flexibility.
• Outside providers would have to be approved first.
• Wants to provide veterans with more flexible option for higher education, including an emphasis on vocational training.
• Wants what a solider has done in the military to count toward education and professional certification at home.
• Voted against providing $27 million for the Veterans Health Administration as part of a Superstorm Sandy recovery package.
• Voted against a bill that would have provided $142 billion in 2012 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction, military housing, and related operations. It also included $52.5 billion in advance fiscal 2013 appropriations for VA medical programs.
• Also voted against S. 1982, which sought to expand health benefits for veterans to veterans from every generation and improve education benefits for veterans. The bill was lent full support by the American Legion who believed it addressed high priority issues for veterans.

On other issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Marco_Rubio.htm

Ben Carson

• Supports complete privatization of the VA.
• Under his plan the Department of Veterans Affairs would be absorbed into the Department of Defense and all veterans would receive health savings accounts to pay for private-sector medical care.
• His plan would also sponsor a select few defense-run veterans clinics that specialized in traumatic brain injury and limb replacement.

On other issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/Ben_Carson.htm

Democrats

Hillary Clinton

• Plans to reform existing programs to offer coordination between military health care, private physicians and others while leaving the VA as the primary source of veterans care.
• Opposes privatization of the VA
• Voted against S. Amdt. 3704 which sought to provide an additional $20 million in funding to veterans affairs medical facilities. (2006)
• Voted for an amendment which sought to provide $2 million in additional funding for army imaging equipment for use in the diagnosis of brain injuries. (2006)
• Voted in favor of a failed amendment which sought to provide a stream of future funding for veterans health care by repealing the Bush tax cuts. (2006)
• Voted in favor of an amendment to provide and additional $1 billion in funding to the Veterans Affairs Administration in 2004.

On other issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/Hillary_Clinton.htm

Bernie Sanders

• Head of Senate veterans affairs committee 2013-15
• Worked with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to pass an amendment ensuring that the military’s TRICARE system would be available to treat autism.
• Used an amendment to win $10 million for operation and maintenance of the Army National Guard which was overextended by the war in Iraq.
• Worked to pass an amendment in July 2009 which mandated comprehensive reporting on financial assistance for child care available to parents in the Armed Forces.
• Authored the 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act, a law aimed at reforming the VA which passed through a polarized congress likely due to compromises he made with John McCain. The Act authorized $15 billion to be used to reduce wait times at VA facilities and provide private care for veterans living more than 40 miles from a VA clinic.
• Some veterans groups have been critical of the legislation calling in a “Band-Aid on a gaping wound”
• Opposes privatization of the VA
• Sought to kill Marco Rubio’s legislation to give secretaries the right to fire senior executives at the VA.

On other issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/bernie_sanders.htm

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