GOP Senators "Spit in the face of our Veterans"

with their opposition to the PACT Act

Michael Braman of Knoxville, Iowa

Republicans in the Senate made a big mistake last week, voting against the PACT Act, which would provide care for Veterans who suffered from toxic exposure now and into the future. This NBC headline says it all: “Blindsided Veterans erupt in fury after Senate GOP tanks toxic burn pit bill.”

Here are GOP Republicans, including the consistently awful Senator Ted Cruz shaking hands and fist bumping after they killed the legislation.

Watch As GOP Senators Fist Bump After Blocking Veterans Healthcare Bill

Michael Braman, above, is a Past State Commander of the VFW in Iowa. He served over 600 combat missions in Afghanistan and Bosnia. He’s a friend of mine who lives in Knoxville. He’s also one of the Veterans who is furious. Michael tells me Senate Republicans who voted against the PACT Act “spit in the face of our Veterans.” Iowa Senator Joni Ernst was one of them.

When I told Braman it looked like it was a political move in retaliation against Democrats who passed an infrastructure bill last week, Michael said that’s “political bullshit” and that Veterans are dying. 

Here is my full interview with Michael on the PACT Act.

Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted against it when it came up in the house in May. Here is her floor speech.

Michael’s advocacy has reached the national stage. NBC News interviewed him recently about the Richard Star Act, which stalled in the House and would have improved benefits for Veterans.

NBC also interviewed him Friday about the PACT Act.

Michael says he appreciates Grassley’s support of the burn pit legislation and that Representative Cindy Axne has strongly supported Veterans issues, including this one.

Ernst, Miller-Meeks, and the burn pit legislation? Not so much.

It’s expected that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will bring the vote to the floor Monday, August 1, to try to break the Republican filibuster. 

This is an opportunity for Democrats to own this issue and continue to show their support for our Veterans. We’ll see if they embrace it.

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Julie Gammack has a wonderful substack, Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, which is always worth reading. She has created a new substack, The Iowa Writers Collaborative, so look for a group of writers who are Iowa treasures to join us soon. Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture wouldn’t exist without her encouragement and guidance.