Health

Pat Toomey thinks Jon Stewart is a ‘fake celebrity’ and defends voting against healthcare for veterans


Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on Sunday defended his vote against a bill to expand access to health care for military veterans who have been exposed to toxic burns, while accusing Democrats of using service members as political pawns.

He also appeared to take aim at comedian and activist Jon Stewart, who hit out at Toomey in his criticism of GOP lawmakers responsible for breaking the law last week.

The PACT Act is designed to help veterans who have been exposed to toxins in Iraq and Afghanistan and currently suffer from a variety of health problems, from asthma to deadly cancers.

It passed the Senate by an overwhelming margin of 84 to 14 in June but was forced back to the floor due to technical failures – where it fell 5 votes from the 60-vote threshold to pass an election. vote counting.

Fifty-five senators voted for the bill while 42 Republican senators voted against it. Three lawmakers abstained.

Toomey, who led the GOP’s opposition to the bill, told CNN’s State of the Union that he opposes the bill this time around because of ‘an unrelated $400 billion outlay that doesn’t involve veterans. and that won’t be suitable for veterans. ‘

The text of the bill moved spending from ‘discretionary’ to ‘mandatory’.

‘This is the oldest trick in Washington. People consider a sympathetic group of Americans – and it could be sick children, maybe crime victims, maybe veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals – make a bill to solve their problems, and then sneak into something completely unrelated that they know can never get out on their own and Republicans dare to do anything about it,’ Toomey said.

Republican Senator Pat Toomey leading the opposition has derailed Congress's effort on a bill to assist veterans exposed to poison in the Middle East.  The Senate will give another vote on Monday

Republican Senator Pat Toomey leading the opposition has derailed Congress's effort on a bill to assist veterans exposed to poison in the Middle East.  The Senate will give another vote on Monday

Republican Senator Pat Toomey leading the opposition has derailed Congress’s effort on a bill to assist veterans exposed to poison in the Middle East. The Senate will give another vote on Monday

‘They know they’re going to toss their ally in the media and possibly a fake celebrity to make false accusations to try to get us to swallow up what shouldn’t be.’

He also said he was working to amend the bill which he vowed would ‘not change a penny of any spending on any veterans programme.’

“My change, honest people admit, will not affect the amount or circumstances of spending on veterans,” Toomey said.

Interviewing Toomey was CNN host Jake Tapper, who just days ago sat down with Stewart as the comedian dodged the objections of a soon-to-be retired GOP senator.

Stewart continued his criticism on Sunday, saying Toomey’s revised statement was ‘actually about the fund cap’ in an interview on ABC News’ This Week.

‘Toomey modification doesn’t change it from mandatory to arbitrary. It is still mandatory,’ Stewart said.

‘It’s about putting a hat on it and offering a ten-year sunset clause.’

Comedian-led activist Jon Stewart rages against GOP opposition to bill and accuses Toomey of trying to cap funds

Comedian-led activist Jon Stewart rages against GOP opposition to bill and accuses Toomey of trying to cap funds

Comedian-led activist Jon Stewart rages against GOP opposition to bill and accuses Toomey of trying to cap funds

He said Toomey’s amendment would affect the bill what the Senate previously did to the September 11 victims’ compensation fund in setting the expiration date for the money. That has forced sick and dying first responders in 9/11 to return to the US Capitol multiple times since 2001 to lobby for an extension after risking their lives to save others.

‘What Toomey wants to fix is ​​to ensure that our ailing and dying veterans have the joy that 9/11 first responders at Ground Zero had to return to Washington, holding a hat, suffering from cancer and marching past Stewart said.

Stewart said he would ‘absolutely’ still support the bill if it passed with the amendment, but lost out when asked if he believed the bill would pass soon.

‘I have no idea. I mean the whole thing that happened – this is a banana. Nothing changes. So I don’t understand any of this,’ he said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set another vote on the bill on Monday.





Source link

news7f

News7F: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button