House Republicans on Sunday entertained the idea of investigating President Biden’s Department of Veterans Affairs for “shamelessly lying” about the effects their debt ceiling bill would have on Americans who have retired from the armed forces.
Tensions among Republican lawmakers were high during a press call held on Sunday, when GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., claimed the president and his VA secretary, Denis McDonough, were “politicizing” veterans’ care by attacking Republicans’ recently-passed Limit, Save, Grow Act.
Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., who spoke with McDonough that same day, said he had “to figure out how to calm down to talk to him” and that he was “disappointed” by the Biden official’s claim that Republicans’ bill would cut the VA budget by 22%.
“Joe Biden and Democrats are so desperate to cover up for Joe Biden’s weakness and absolute failure on the debt ceiling negotiations that they’re shamelessly lying about veterans benefits and politicizing the VA to do so,” Stefanik said. “This is, unfortunately, nothing new for Democrats.”
The bill would cut discretionary spending to 2022 levels and raise the debt limit by either $1.5 trillion or through March 2024. Its cost-cutting measures include repealing Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, expanding work requirements for federal benefit recipients and limiting subsequent annual growth to 1% over a period of 10 years.
The White House has mounted a broad public campaign against the GOP legislation, releasing estimates suggesting steep reductions in efficiency across various agencies if implemented. The VA is no different, and it released a press release this month claiming the bill “would threaten critical services for veterans.”
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“I told him how disappointed I was. The conversation didn’t go much past that. He said, ‘I understand.’ And I said, ‘Well, I understand that… your boss told you to do that.’ And I said, ‘But still, it shouldn’t have been done,'” Bost said on Sunday about his discussion with McDonough.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., suggested Congress should take action. “You know, when I heard what the VA was putting out, I looked at the 18 U.S.C. Chapter 47, Section 1001, the Fraud and False statement statute. And that’s what this is,” he said.
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“It’s nothing more than a fear tactic. When the Democrats don’t have the facts on their side, they use lies, emotion and volume. President Biden is abusing veterans once again, and I think the Congress should investigate this,” Clyde said. Republicans on the call didn’t pursue the idea further.
Bost also pointed out that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., previously promised not to let spending on veterans’ programs be affected.
“We have made that commitment that it will not come from there,” he said. “I cannot answer for the military.”