Pappas: GOP Cuts to VA, Military Betray Promise to Veterans and Threaten National Security

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the following statement after extreme members of the House of Representatives used the Military Construction/VA appropriations bill to play politics with New Hampshire's veterans, service members, and our national security:

“It is irresponsible that extreme Washington Republicans have brought forward a misguided, partisan appropriations bill today that cuts vital funding for our military including shortchanging resources for PFAS cleanup, pushes a dangerous, politically-motivated abortion ban, and threatens to strip benefits from LGBTQ+ service members. I have fought hard to ensure this bill fully funds the Veterans Crisis Line and veteran suicide prevention outreach initiatives, ensures VA can continue providing specialized community care to veterans with severe traumatic brain injuries, and supports the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and I will continue working to ensure these provisions become law. Ensuring our veterans and service members can access the benefits and care they have earned ought to be a bipartisan endeavor, but I cannot support this bill which would limit our military readiness, strip away health care and individual freedoms from the very people who swore an oath to defend our freedoms, and not fulfill the promise we make to our veterans. As the appropriations process moves forward, I urge fellow lawmakers in the House and Senate to come together in support of bipartisan legislation that will honor our veterans and service members and strengthen our national security.”