Boehner released this statement today:
The White House and congressional Democrats aren’t satisfied with simply shutting the government down. Today the president reiterated his threat to veto a simple, common-sense measure to stand with our nation’s veterans and ensure that veterans’ programs are funded during the shutdown. This comes after the president and Democrats supported the Pay Our Military Act to take care of our men and women in uniform during this time (though they are still playing political games).
With the backlog of disability claims continuing to pile up and veterans having to wait longer and longer to receive their benefits, it is unconscionable that Democrats voted against the Honoring our Promise to America’s Veterans Act (H.J. Res. 72) yesterday to ensure that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs had the resources necessary to address this claims backlog. A small group of House Democrats voted for the measure, acknowledging their party’s strategy is indefensible. Every House Democrat will have the opportunity to do the right thing today.
The president can’t continue to complain about the impact of his government shutdown on veterans while pledging to veto a bill to help them. During the last government shutdown which lasted from December 16, 1995, to January 5, 1996, President Clinton did the right thing and signed into law – with the full support of congressional Democrats – a similar measure to ensure the veterans’ programs were funded. Nearly two decades later, President Obama and House Democrats have made the political choice to turn their backs on veterans.
I love the fact that he pointed out that even Clinton did the right thing during the last government shutdown and funded veteran’s programs. That should sting a little bit.