GOP & Tea Party only paying lip service to needs of our veterans

The The Daily Sun,

Republicans claim to be the Party of Patriots and "support our troops." Their actions speak a lot louder than their words, and tell a different story. Here's a list of veteran's bills they've blocked over the last six years.

1. H.R. 5059 — The Clay-Hunt Suicide Prevention Act.

2. S-1982 — Health Benefits & Retirement Pay Restoration.

3. H.R. 1168 — Veterans Retraining Act.This bill would provide for assistance to help veterans who are currently unemployed with their expenses while retraining for the current job market.

4. H.R. 1171 — Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization. This bill would reauthorize programs in support of homeless veterans, to assist them with job training, counseling, and placement services through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

5. H.R. 1172 — Requiring list on VA website of organizations providing scholarships for veterans which does nothing more than direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to include information about scholarships for veterans.

6. H.R. 1293 — Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009. Here's another bull in support of those who have fought for their country, passed by House Democrats and blocked from becoming law by Republicans. This would increase the amount paid by the VA to disabled veterans for necessary home structural improvements from $4,100 to $6,800 for those who are more than 50 percent disabled, and from $1,200 to $2,000 who are less than 50 percent disabled. This means, if a veteran lost the use of his legs in service of his country, the country will pay for the wheelchair ramp so that he can live at home.

By the way, the last time this ceiling was lifted was in 1992. There isn't even a fiscal reason for being against this bill, as the total cost of this bill, according to CBO estimates, would be a "whooping" $20 million. That's about a quarter (25 cents) per family of four.

7. H.R. 1803 — Veterans Business Center Act. This bill set up a Veterans Business Center program within the Small Business Administration, which would specialize in such programs as grants for service-disabled veterans, help them develop business plans and secure business opportunities. In other words, folks, it would create jobs and offer opportunities those who have fought in defense or our country.

8. H.R. 2352 — Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act. This bill essentially combines a number of other bills that Republicans had blocked in the Senate previously, and adds a few elements. The bill would again establish a Veterans Business Center Program and it would establish a Military Entrepreneurs Program.

9. S 3457 — Job Corps Act

10. H.R. 1511 — Torture Victims Relief Act

Wake up folks. The GOP and the Tea Party members in Congress are only paying "lip service" to the commitment owed our veterans. When it comes to putting their legislation where their mouths are they are truly MIA.

Don't expect Paul Ryan to accomplish much different than the same ole humiliating inactions and the Republican majority's evasion of the business of legislating. A good start would be to reintroduce the bills mentioned above. The American public has rated the popularity of Congress at a mere 5 percent with good reason. Their work ethic is non-existent and their hypocrisy is abominable.

They love to criticize President Obama for not doing his job. How about for a change of pace they look into the mirror to see the true culprits. Oh wait a minute, they are most likely packing their luggage in preparation for another long recess.

Bernadette Loesch

Laconia