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Vitter and Veterans: Vitter Has Consistently Shortchanged Veterans

As a member of the U.S House of Representatives and Senate, David Vitter has consistently voted to cut funding for the Veteran's Administration and raise health care fees for veterans, sometimes providing a key vote to shortchange veterans.
 
"David Vitter has a long track record of voting to cut funding for veteran's programs and raise fees for veteran's health care," said Louisiana Democratic Party spokesman Kevin Franck. "Louisiana’s veterans have earned our support and they deserve better than David Vitter."
 
In 2003, Vitter was a critical vote for a budget that cut $9.7 billion from veterans' benefits, imposed a $250 fee enrollment fee for health care programs and doubled the medication co-pay for some veterans. The measure cut $25 billion from the VA, including $15 billion from VA programs, including those designed to assist disabled veterans, leading the Disabled Veterans of America to express "deep-seated outrage" over the budget Vitter supported. [Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/26/03]
 
Later that year, Vitter supported a bill that the AP reported "would leave thousands of veterans waiting six months or longer for treatment and beds." [AP, 7/25/03]
 
In 2005, Vitter twice supported a budget that the American Legion said "shortchanged" our veterans. Just a couple of months later,  Vitter voted twice against a $2 billion increase in veteran's funding just two months before the VA announced a billion dollar budget shortfall. [American Legion Press Release, 3/18/05]

Vitter's pattern of shortchanging veterans has been consistent throughout his career in Washington:

In 2007, Vitter voted to allow veteran's health care fees to triple. (Vote 67, 3/16/06, Washington Post, 3/16/06; Congressional Record, Page S2252, 3/16/06)

In 2006, Vitter blocked an amendment to increase veteran's health care funding by $1.5 billion. (Vote 41, 3/14/06)

In 2006, Vitter voted against a $19 billion hike in veterans' health care funding, supported by the American Legion. (Vote 7, 2/2/06; Congressional Record, Page S494, 2/2/06)

In 2005 and 2006, Vitter voted against making veterans funding a mandatory program. (Vote 63, 3/16/06; Vote 251, 10/5/05)

In 2005, Vitter voted against a $2.8 billion increase in veterans health care funding. (Vote 55, 3/16/05)