56 House Republicans Criticize Veterans Affairs Secretary Over Debt Limit Bill Claims

Republican Congresswoman-elect Jen Kiggans at her victory speech in Virginia Beach, Va., on Nov. 8, 2022. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times

House Republicans have sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, criticizing his department for making “baseless political talking points” about the GOP legislation to raise the debt ceiling while cutting future spending.

In a May 4 letter led by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), a former Navy helicopter pilot, 56 House Republicans fended off the department’s criticism against the recently-passed Limit, Save, Grow Act, after a vote of 217–215 on April 26 mostly along party lines.

“Today, I led over 50 of my @HouseGOP colleagues in condemning the dishonest, partisan use of the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] to spread fear and anxiety among America’s veterans regarding their benefits,” Kiggans wrote on Twitter. “Our veterans should never be used as political pawns.”

“The facts are that nowhere in the Limit, Save, Grow Act is it indicated that the VA budget would be cut,” the letter explains. “The intent of the legislation is to set a topline number for the entire federal budget.

“The Speaker of the US. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Chairwoman for the House Committee on Appropriations Kay Granger, Chairman for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Mike Bost, and others have all stated unequivocally that veterans will be protected, and the VA will be funded.”

Republicans said in their letter that the department’s statement, issued on April 21, “falsely” stated that the GOP legislation “would threaten medical care for 30 million veterans, worsen wait times for hundreds of thousands of veterans and survivors applying for benefits, and fail to honor the memory of all veterans.”

The department’s statement argued that the legislation would mean 30 million fewer outpatient visits for veterans, 81,000 jobs lost across the Veterans Health Administration, and increasing disability claims backlogs.

The GOP legislation would raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion debt by $1.5 trillion, in exchange for spending cuts Republicans estimated would save American taxpayers $4.5 trillion over a decade.

The legislation would reduce discretionary spending to the 2022 level, and limit spending increases to 1 percent annually for 10 years.

President Joe Biden has called on Congress to pass a “clean” increase to the $31.4 trillion cap, and has said he would veto the GOP legislation if it reaches his desk.

“Many members of Congress are deeply troubled and personally offended that the Biden Administration continues to use these dishonest talking points to create panic and fear in our veteran populations,” the letter says. “Political games have absolutely no place in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.”

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), a retired Navy SEAL who co-led the letter, issued a statement accusing the VA of “fearmongering.”

“I am telling you that the Limit, Save, Grow Act sets a topline number for the entire federal budget,” Van Orden said. “It does not cut the VA budget. If the VA chooses to spend this money on a bloated bureaucracy instead of veterans’ health care, we will hold them publicly accountable.

“They are fearmongering with our veterans and that is reprehensible.”

Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who served in the Marine Corps Reserves, wrote on Twitter that he was proud to sign the letter.

“[Biden] needs to stop this dishonest fear-mongering and work with Republicans to prevent a debt default,” Miller wrote.

On May 1, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that the United States could default on its financial obligations as soon as June 1, if Congress “does not raise or suspend the debt limit before that time.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs did not comment on the letter.