Carmona responds to McCain defense of Flake’s anti-veteran voting record

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

David Safier posted The latest Carmona ad, "Lived It," yesterday. Apparently Arizona's angry old man, Sen. John McCain, proving once again that he is the partisan hack he has always been — only his base, the media, ever believed that B.S. about him being a "maverick" — came to the defense of the corporate lobbyist chickenshit hiding in the bunker who will not debate Dr. Carmona, Rep. Jeff Flake.

The Carmona campaing has responded to Grampy McCrankypants yelling "get off my lawn!" with this press release:

Dr. Richard Carmona released the following statement in response to Sen. John McCain:

"Senator McCain is a leader I've always respected, even when I've disagreed with him, but Congressman Flake's record on veterans' issues is clear. Congressman Flake has voted against health, education and job training benefits for veterans. Congressman Flake even opposed the post-9/11 GI Bill and combat bonuses for troops who were fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan."

"I understand that Senator McCain wants to support a member of his party, but his statement is a reflection only of his partisan politics and not the facts. Both Senator McCain and Congressman Flake know this ad is accurate — and my campaign posted the source documents to this ad to back it up. Congressman Flake is trying to run away from his record, but the 12-year Congressman is going to find that facts are a tough thing to hide from."

BACKGROUND:
In 2004, Flake Voted In Favor Of Budget That Provided $1.1 Billion Less That Needed To Maintain Current Service. In 2004, Rep. Flake voted in favor of a budget that was strongly opposed by major veterans’ organizations. A coalition of veterans groups, including the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was vehemently opposed to the bill. “For veterans' discretionary programs, primarily veterans' medical care, H. Con. Res. 393 would provide $1.1 billion below the minimum amount of funding determined necessary by the House Veterans' Affairs Committee…With the level of appropriations in the House budget resolution, VA will be required to delay medical care for some veterans, and deny it altogether for other sick and disabled veterans, just to enable it to meet inflationary costs, including increases in employee wages” the groups said. The budget resolution passed 215-212. [Letter to Members, 3/23/04; HCR 393, Vote 92, 3/20/04]

In 2005, Flake Voted In Favor Of Budget Which Called For $800 Million In Cuts To Veterans’ Programs. Jeff Flake voted in favor of a Budget resolution which read: The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the level of direct spending for that committee by $155,000,000 in outlays for fiscal year 2006 and $798,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2006 through 2010.” [H Con Res 95 (as passed by the House) 3/17/05; Vote #88, 3/17/05]

In 2003, Flake Voted In Favor Of A Budget That Called For $15 Billion In Cuts To Veterans Programs. In 2003, Rep. Flake voted for a budget that called for cutting $15 billion from veterans’ benefits, including veterans’ pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The budget read: “The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the level of direct spending for that committee by $449,000,000 in outlays for fiscal year 2004, $4,221,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2004 through 2008, and $14,626,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2004 through 2013.” [H. Con. Res. 95 (as passed by the House), Vote 82, 3/21/03]

2005 House Budget Cut Funding $14 Billion Below Level Needed To Maintain Existing Services. Minority Leader Pelosi said on the floor of the House that the House GOP budget would set funding level $14 below what was necessary just to maintain current funding levels. CBO projected that spending at the VA would need to hit $37.7 billion per year by 2010 to maintain services, while the GOP budget projected only $30 billion in funding. [H Con Res 95 (as passed by the House) 3/17/05; Vote #88, 3/17/05; CBO, 3/1/05; Speaker Pelosi Release, 3/17/05]

Flake Voted For FY07 Budget That Set Funding $6 Billion Below Level Necessary To Maintain Current Services. In 2006, Rep. Flake voted in favor of a $2.8 trillion budget that was fiscally reckless and harmful for America’s working families. The budget added hundreds of billions to the already record budget deficit and includes a provision to increase the debt limit by $653 billion to $9.6 trillion. It cuts key programs like education, health and veterans’ programs. The budget cuts veterans’ healthcare beyond 2007. Despite an initial boost in veterans’ health spending for 2007, over five years (from 2007- 2011), the Republican budget resolution actually cut funding for veterans’ appropriated programs by $6 billion below the level that CBO estimates is needed to maintain current services. Additionally, the Republican budget resolution included significant increases in TRICARE costs for military retirees under 65. In fact, healthcare fees will triple for retired officers, double for retired senior enlisted personnel, and increase by 40 percent for junior enlisted retirees. The budget passed 218-210.   [House Budget Committee, Minority Staff Analysis of the FY 07 Budget, 10/6/2006]

Flake Opposed Bonuses for Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Rep. Flake voted against an amendment to provide $1,500 bonuses for each service member serving in Iraq ad Afghanistan in fiscal 2004. The measure would have taken $265 million out of an account paying for Iraqi petroleum imports and put it into a military personnel fund to pay for the bonuses. According to the Congressional Research Service, the energy firm Halliburton could be overcharging the U.S. as much as $249 million for importing fuel into Iraq. The amendment was defeated 213-213. [New York Times, 10/22/03; HR 3289, Vote 554, 10/17/03]

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Here is the Carmona campaign press release that accompanied the release of his new ad, "Lived it":

The Carmona for Arizona campaign launched a new statewide ad Tuesday. The ad demonstrates the stark contrast between Dr. Richard Carmona — a combat-decorated Special Forces veteran, Pima County Deputy Sheriff and the 17th Surgeon General of the United States — and career politician and former lobbyist Congressman Jeff Flake.

Carmona has pledged to be a tireless advocate in the U.S. Senate for our troops and veterans. Flake has repeatedly voted against veteran benefits — notably the post-9/11 G.I. Bill, jobs and education training for veterans, and combat bonuses for active troops. Carmona is a combat-decorated Special Forces veteran who went to school on the G.I. Bill and is committed to supporting job training, education and health care programs for veterans.

BACKGROUND
In 2004, Flake Voted In Favor Of Budget That Provided $1.1 Billion Less That Needed To Maintain Current Service. In 2004, Rep. Flake voted in favor of a budget that was strongly opposed by major veterans’ organizations. A coalition of veterans groups, including the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was vehemently opposed to the bill. “For veterans' discretionary programs, primarily veterans' medical care, H. Con. Res. 393 would provide $1.1 billion below the minimum amount of funding determined necessary by the House Veterans' Affairs Committee…With the level of appropriations in the House budget resolution, VA will be required to delay medical care for some veterans, and deny it altogether for other sick and disabled veterans, just to enable it to meet inflationary costs, including increases in employee wages” the groups said. The budget resolution passed 215-212. [Letter to Members, 3/23/04; HCR 393, Vote 92, 3/20/04]

In 2005, Flake Voted In Favor Of Budget Which Called For $800 Million In Cuts To Veterans’ Programs. Jeff Flake voted in favor of a Budget resolution which read: The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the level of direct spending for that committee by $155,000,000 in outlays for fiscal year 2006 and $798,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2006 through 2010.” [H Con Res 95 (as passed by the House) 3/17/05; Vote #88, 3/17/05]

In 2003, Flake Voted In Favor Of A Budget That Called For $15 Billion In Cuts To Veterans Programs. In 2003, Rep. Flake voted for a budget that called for cutting $15 billion from veterans’ benefits, including veterans’ pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The budget read: “The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the level of direct spending for that committee by $449,000,000 in outlays for fiscal year 2004, $4,221,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2004 through 2008, and $14,626,000,000 in outlays for the period of fiscal years 2004 through 2013.” [H. Con. Res. 95 (as passed by the House), Vote 82, 3/21/03]

2005 House Budget Cut Funding $14 Billion Below Level Needed To Maintain Existing Services. Minority Leader Pelosi said on the floor of the House that the House GOP budget would set funding level $14 below what was necessary just to maintain current funding levels. CBO projected that spending at the VA would need to hit $37.7 billion per year by 2010 to maintain services, while the GOP budget projected only $30 billion in funding. [H Con Res 95 (as passed by the House) 3/17/05; Vote #88, 3/17/05; CBO, 3/1/05; Speaker Pelosi Release, 3/17/05]

Flake Voted For FY07 Budget That Set Funding $6 Billion Below Level Necessary To Maintain Current Services. In 2006, Rep. Flake voted in favor of a $2.8 trillion budget that was fiscally reckless and harmful for America’s working families. The budget added hundreds of billions to the already record budget deficit and includes a provision to increase the debt limit by $653 billion to $9.6 trillion. It cuts key programs like education, health and veterans’ programs. The budget cuts veterans’ healthcare beyond 2007. Despite an initial boost in veterans’ health spending for 2007, over five years (from 2007- 2011), the Republican budget resolution actually cut funding for veterans’ appropriated programs by $6 billion below the level that CBO estimates is needed to maintain current services. Additionally, the Republican budget resolution included significant increases in TRICARE costs for military retirees under 65. In fact, healthcare fees will triple for retired officers, double for retired senior enlisted personnel, and increase by 40 percent for junior enlisted retirees. The budget passed 218-210.   [House Budget Committee, Minority Staff Analysis of the FY 07 Budget, 10/6/2006]

Flake Opposed Bonuses for Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Rep. Flake voted against an amendment to provide $1,500 bonuses for each service member serving in Iraq ad Afghanistan in fiscal 2004. The measure would have taken $265 million out of an account paying for Iraqi petroleum imports and put it into a military personnel fund to pay for the bonuses. According to the Congressional Research Service, the energy firm Halliburton could be overcharging the U.S. as much as $249 million for importing fuel into Iraq. The amendment was defeated 213-213. [New York Times, 10/22/03; HR 3289, Vote 554, 10/17/03]

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