SUNUNU BLOCKED VETERANS FROM RECEIVING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, REJECTED INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE VA EIGHT MINUTES LATER

For Immediate Release
May 8, 2008

(Manchester, NH) - In addition to his many votes against funding for veterans' health care, John E. Sununu also voted to prevent veterans from accessing health care by rejecting a measure to help the VA clear the backlog of pending claims for benefits. Just eight minutes later, Sununu voted against increased funding for VA facilities.

"Sununu has voted to send our soldiers to war for over five years, but in the space of just eight minutes, he blocked veterans from receiving care from the VA and he rejected a proposal to increase funding for the VA," said Alex Reese, press secretary for the NHDP's Coordinated Campaign. "Sununu is the definition of clueless: he sends our soldiers to war, but he leaves them hanging when they need health care."

At 10:14pm on July 26, 2001, Sununu voted against an amendment that would have increased funding by $25 million specifically to help the VA reduce its backlog of pending benefits claims and ensure that veterans got timely assistance.  [House Vote #281, 7/26/01] Just eight minutes later, at 10:22pm, Sununu voted against an amendment to increase funding for state grants for the construction of VA extended care facilities by $5 million. [House Vote #282, 7/26/01]