Steube Slams Ocasio-Cortez for Defending VA
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) released the following statement after reports Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said of the Department of Veterans Affairs, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“It’s clear Representative Ocasio-Cortez has never dealt with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or relied on them for care. If she had, she would know that their system is in dire need of reform. From veterans waiting 30-60 days for an appointment, suicide hotlines going to voicemail, to the rationing of medicine and vast cost overruns, this Department is failing on multiple fronts. To say that this is the level of care those who put their lives on the line to defend our nation deserve is frankly offensive.
What’s worse, the VA is costing the American taxpayer billions of dollars each year, all while failing to provide basic services to our veterans. Since 2006, the VA budget has increased 175 percent—this year, they requested $198.6 billion in funding to provide sub-par care to only 1 percent of our country’s population. How’s that for needed reform?
As a partially disabled veteran who deals with VA frequently, I know that this department is in need of serious reform. But, it doesn’t surprise me that Representative Ocasio-Cortez won’t admit it—she advocates for government run health care for all every day, so if she were to admit the failures of the only current system of government run health care, she would have to admit faults within her own plan.”
Congressman Greg Steube is a former Army JAG and Infantry Officer and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He serves on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
