SUNUNU DISHONESTLY USES WASHINGTON EXCUSE TO WEASEL OUT OF SUPPORTING VETERANS

For Immediate Release
May 19, 2008

(Manchester, NH) - In a letter to the editor this weekend, John E. Sununu dishonestly hid behind a Washington excuse as reason not to support a proposal by Senator Jim Webb to expand the G.I. Bill and offer enhanced education benefits to veterans. But just three days before, Sununu executed the exact same procedural maneuver he decried in his letter in order to support an alternative, partisan proposal to Webb's plan that is backed by John McCain.

"Our veterans deserve the full support of our Senators, not lame procedural excuses and partisan rhetoric," said Alex Reese, press secretary for the NHDP's Coordinated Campaign. "Sununu is not telling our vets the truth, hiding behind procedural nonsense one day, but using those same procedures another day in support of a partisan proposal. New Hampshire and our veterans deserve a Senator who tells the truth, but Sununu is just part of the problem."

At issue are two competing proposals to expand the G.I. Bill and offer more educational benefits to veterans. Senator Webb's proposal has gained 57 co-sponsors in the Senate and the backing of numerous veterans groups, including the VFW, American Legion, and more. In contrast, Senator McCain's partisan proposal has gained only 22 co-sponsors, all of whom are Republicans.

Sununu Dishonestly Hides Behind Washington Excuses
May 14, 2008: Sununu votes to tack on McCain's partisan bill as an amendment to an unrelated first responder bill without debate. [Senate Vote #127, 5/14/08]

• "Republicans offered McCain's bill as an amendment to legislation that would give police officers, firefighters and other first responders the right to unionize. ... McCain proposed his GI bill after Democrats pitched a more ambitious plan that would essentially guarantee a full scholarship to any public, in-state university after serving in the military for three years." [Associated Press, 5/15/08]

May 17, 2008: Sununu says he won't support Webb's bi-partisan proposal because there hasn't been full debate on the bill.

• "Unfortunately, we have yet to schedule an open debate on either bill on the Senate floor. Instead, the current plan is to insert S. 22 [Webb's bill] into a war spending measure without debate. Our service members deserve better ...." [Sununu Letter, Portsmouth Herald, 5/17/08]

Sununu is right - our service members do deserve better. They deserve a Senator who tells the truth.