Todays news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): VA Nominee Confirmation Hearing: President Barack Obamas choice to lead the Veterans Affairs Department pledged Tuesday to transform the VA. At a Senate confirmation hearing, Chairman Bernie Sanders said he expected Robert McDonald to be confirmed, The New York Times and The Associated Press reported. Sanders said McDonald will be a strong advocate for veterans, according to Reuters, USA Today, Bloomberg, Military Times, The Hill and Stars and Stripes. Why Do You Want this Job?: After listing a litany of problems facing the VA, Sen. Sanders asked McDonald why he wants the job. “I think I can make a difference, the West Point graduate said in The Wall Street Journal. Sanders suggested jokingly that senators didnt want to say anything to scare McDonald into running out of the hearing room, The Washington Post reported. Sanders said he was impressed by McDonalds military and business backgrounds, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Times and UPI reported. McDonald is well aware of the department’s problems, Sanders said in the Burlington Free Press. McDonald said he would take action on reforms during his first 90 days in office, National Journal reported. VA Reform: Sen. Sanders said lawmakers tasked with creating bipartisan legislation to overhaul the VA have agreeed to offset parts of the eventual bill with spending cuts, The Hill and Fox News reported. After conferring with Sanders, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid “sounded more upbeat about the prospects for the conference committee to address the veterans issues than he did on Monday,” CQ/Roll Call reported. Sanders hoped that House and Senate leaders would agree to a set of VA reforms before the month-long break in August, the Times Argus and Rutland Herald reported. In a Fox News blog, Koch brothers mouthpiece Peter Hegseth faulted Sanders’ handling of the conference committee. The Cost of War: “Taking care of veterans is a cost of war,” Sen. Sanders wrote in a column for The Boston Globe. “Some of my colleagues are concerned that the proposal Sen. McCain and I developed, and a similar proposal passed in the House, will cost significant sums of money. They are right. The sad truth, however, is that war is an extremely expensive proposition – in terms of human life, human suffering and financial cost.” Continue reading here: sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/072314
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:26:17 +0000
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