Vilas, NC (August 10, 2010) -- Incumbent Virginia Foxx was in the news Monday morning ("Spouses of Vets May Get More Aid," Winston-Salem Journal) introducing a bill that will help surviving spouses of veterans get Veterans Affairs home loans.
Challenger Billy Kennedy issued the following statement:
"I applaud the incumbent's legislation and note that running for reelection has seemed to have a positive effect on her concern for veterans, because her record prior to today has been abysmal for veterans.
"In 2005, her first year in Congress, Disabled American Veterans gave her a grade of ZERO for her votes relating to veterans issues. In 2006, The Retired Enlisted Association graded her performance at 21 percent, while the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave her a grade of D.
"In 2008, Foxx voted 'no' on expanding the G.I. Bill. She has been very willing to send our troops to war, and even more willing to keep them there (she voted 'no' in 2007 on redeploying troops out of Iraq), but when it comes to offering them substantive help once they're back in civilian life, she's usually AWOL.
In September of 2008, she was one of only 58 members of Congress who voted against a continuing appropriations bill (H.R.2638) that funded veterans programs.
"In 2009, she received a '0' rating from the Military Officers Association of America for voting 'no' on the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, legislation that prevented a 21 percent reduction in physician payment rates for those military families enrolled in TRICARE, the civilian component of the military's health care system. MOAA strongly supported the bill, noting its defeat would have meant critical loss of access to health care for uniformed service members, retirees and their families.
"This is pretty classic incumbent political maneuvering right before an election. It's just too bad we can't count on Ms. Foxx to do the right thing until just a few days out from an election."
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Notes
Interest group ratings Project Vote Smart 2005
Interest group ratings, Project Vote Smart,Project Vote Smart 2007 H.R.2956 Redeployment from Iraq Act, bill passed the House on 07/12/2007, 223 - 201, with Foxx voting in the minority
H.R.2638, vote to concur with Senate amendments and further amend a bill that continued funding at mostly the same levels as authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (HR 2764) and appropriated an additional $668.3 billion to several departments including the Veterans Affairs Department.
Interest group rating, Project Vote Smart 2009
Interest group ratings Project Vote Smart 2005
Interest group ratings, Project Vote Smart,Project Vote Smart 2007 H.R.2956 Redeployment from Iraq Act, bill passed the House on 07/12/2007, 223 - 201, with Foxx voting in the minority
H.R.2638, vote to concur with Senate amendments and further amend a bill that continued funding at mostly the same levels as authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (HR 2764) and appropriated an additional $668.3 billion to several departments including the Veterans Affairs Department.
Interest group rating, Project Vote Smart 2009
