Does Smith think 40 percent is a passing grade?
Will Gordon Smith discuss his real record with veterans or will he continue to grow the gap between his votes and his quotes?
As Smith is scheduled to appear before veterans in Bend today (Editor's Note: Smith ended up being unable to attend this event due to personal reasons) he will have to try and talk his way out of his failing, 40 percent score from Disabled American Veterans.
He will have to explain why he represents the same Oregon veterans as U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, but Wyden’s 80 percent score from DAV doubles Smith’s.
Smith will have to explain why his rating was lower than more than 25 U.S. Senate Republicans and every Democrat and Independent serving at that time in the U.S. Senate.
Will he discuss his real voting record and be honest with veterans? Or will he continue to grow the gap between his votes and his quotes?
Look at Smith's record on the jump.
A LOOK AT SMITH’S RECORD:
Smith Has Voted Against Veterans’ Health Care Programs At Least 20 Times. During his Senate career, Smith has voted against funding for veterans’ health care programs at least 20 times, including four votes against veterans’ health care just last year.
[Vote #63, 3/16/06; Vote #41, 3/14/06; Vote #15, 2/13/06; Vote #7, 2/2/06; Vote #251, 10/5/05; Vote #242, 9/22/05; Vote #89, 4/12/05; Vote #90, 4/12/05; Vote #81, 3/17/05; Vote #114, 4/28/05; Vote #55, 3/16/05; Vote #145, 6/23/04; Vote #48, 3/11/04; Vote #40, 3/10/04; Vote #34, 3/9/04; Vote #379, 10/14/03; Vote #83, 3/25/03; Vote #74, 3/21/03; Vote #84, 4/6/01; Vote #243, 7/30/99]
• During debate on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget resolution, Smith killed an amendment that would have closed corporate tax loopholes in order to increase veterans’ health care funding by $1.5 billion.
[Vote #41, 3/14/06; Spokesman-Review, 3/15/06]
• In October 2005, Smith killed an amendment to the defense appropriations bill that would have established a formula by which veterans’ health care funding would be adjusted to account for changes in population and inflation.
[Vote #251, 10/5/05; CQ Today, 10/5/05]
• During debate on the 2005 war spending bill, Smith twice killed a proposal to increase VA funding by $1.98 billion, of which $840 million would be for veterans’ regional health networks, $610 million would be used to address the needs of active duty troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and $525 million would go to mental health care and treatment.
[Vote #89, 4/12/05; Vote #90, 4/12/05; News Tribune, 4/13/05]
Posted August 14, 2007 Smith vs. Smith, Veterans 0 comments
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