Veterans, If You Believe John McCain is Your Friend

Consider His Abysmal Voting Record

Senator McCain has a long in undistinguished voting record on veterans issues.  In 2006 the Disabled American Veterans awarded his a rating of 20% (versus 80% for Obama).  In 2006 the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America awarded him a grade of D (versus B+ for Obama).  Consider these specific votes:

• Voted against adding $430 million for veterans's health care (Senate Vote 98, HR 4939, 4/26/06).
• Voted against converting veterans' health care funding into mandatory spending (Senate Vote 63, S. Con Res, 3/14/06).
• Voted against increasing veterans' health care spending by ending certain corporate tax breaks (Senate Vote 41, S. Con Res, 2/14/06).

• Voted to kill $19 million for military and veterans' hospitals (Senate vote 7, HR 4297, 2/2/06).
• Voted against establishing formula for veterans' health care funding (senate vote 251, HR 2863, 10/5/05).
• Voted against protecting veterans, armed service members and spouces of deceased service members from new bankruptcy means test (Senate Vote 13, S.256, 3/1/05).
• Voted to kill transfer of Iraqi reconstruction funds to veterans' health care (Senate Vote 379, S. 1689, 10/14/03).

McCain was at his most cynical and hypocritical worst during the debate on the GI Bill for the 21st Century.  First he opposed it.  Then he offered a bill to kill it. Then he missed the vote.  Finally, he took credit for it.