Beware of the Press Release, when you have a voting record

Why do they do it? They put out a press release as if it will take away years of doing really stupid things.

It looks like Senator Grassely just did that. Doesn't he understand his voting records are able to be seen by everyone? His speeches were heard and recorded? That people are matching up what he claims against what he does?

This is the press release he put out. Please read it and then take a look at what he actually did when it came time to vote.

U.S. Sen. Grassley: Fights for military members suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries
8/5/2009

Grassley Fights for Military Members Suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Iowa Marine Brings Attention to Flaw in Procedures for Returning Military

WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley is continuing his work to help members of the military who are suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Grassley wrote to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee expressing his support for a provision included in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill is currently in a House-Senate conference committee where the competing versions of the bill are being worked out.

Grassley’s support for the provision included by Congressman Walter Jones was based on a joint effort by Grassley and Jones to help an Iowa Marine who was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The Marine was not given proper medical treatment for PTSD following his return from Iraq and Afghanistan and was at risk of being involuntarily separated from the Marines for his conduct.

The proposed legislation would guarantee that PTSD and TBI are diagnosed and those diagnoses are considered in any future discharge proceeding. It would also set up a process for service members who may have already been discharged or dismissed unjustly due to manifestations of PTSD or TBI to have their situation reviewed by a panel that includes a qualified medical professional and have their record corrected if appropriate.

Here is a copy of the text of the letter Grassley sent to the chairman and ranking member.

July 31, 2009

The Honorable Carl Levin, Chairman The Honorable John McCain, Ranking Member Committee on Armed Services 228 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Levin and Ranking Member McCain:

As you begin conference committee negotiations on H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, I would like to express my support for Section 521 of the House-passed version of the bill, entitled “Medical Examination Required Before Separation of Members Diagnosed With or Asserting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Traumatic Brain Injury. This is based on H.R. 1701, the PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review for Heroes Act, introduced by Congressman Walter Jones.

The situation that this legislation seeks to correct was brought to the attention of Congressman Jones and myself through the experience of an Iowa Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina named Jeremy Smerud. As a result of his service to his country in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jeremy suffers from PTSD, but was not given proper treatment upon his return to Camp Lejeune. This, as is often the case, led to problems with alcohol and a series of incidents to the point that the Marine Corps was considering an Involuntary Administrative Separation due to misconduct. Despite the fact that Jeremy’s problems were a direct result of the injury he sustained in combat, this would have meant that he would have no access to military or veterans benefits, including the health care necessary to deal with his PTSD.

Fortunately, after considerable efforts working with Congressman Jones, we were able to work out with the Marines Corps a favorable resolution for Jeremy’s specific situation. However, there are many more service members just like Jeremy who have already faced, or may face a similar situation with a less positive outcome and it is essential that we do right by them.

The proposed legislation would guarantee that PTSD and TBI are diagnosed and those diagnoses are considered in any future discharge proceeding. It would also set up a process for service members who may have already been discharged or dismissed unjustly due to manifestations of PTSD or TBI to have their situation reviewed by a panel that includes a qualified medical professional and have their record corrected if appropriate.

Again, I express my support for this legislation, and ask that the provision in the House-passed bill be retained in the final conference report to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

Thank you for your consideration of my request.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

United States Senator

Don't get me wrong here. This step does go into the right direction but what has he been doing all these years as our veterans were coming back with PTSD and TBI but funding for them was not made until the Demorats took control over the House and the Senate? The VA was cut under Bush and was not increased until 2008, which was the biggest increase in years. All the while the Repubicans kept saying that there was not enough money to take care of the veterans. President Bush told congress if they wanted to increase the VA budget, they had to find the money so the Democrats tried to do that but men like Grassely decided that they wanted to protect the rich instead by not closing loopholes.


Voted against the GI Bill
Iowa Independent

Voting against the new GI Bill affected Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who received a ‘C’ on the report card

Voted against Veterans for the sake of the rich

XML U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 2nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate


Vote Summary

Question: On the Amendment (Akaka Amdt. No. 3007 )
Vote Number: 41 Vote Date: March 14, 2006, 04:22 PM
Required For Majority: 1/2 Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 3007 to S.Con.Res. 83 (No short title on file)
Statement of Purpose: To increase Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
Vote Counts: YEAs 46
NAYs 54

Bill: S CON RES 95 - Vote description: Nelson Amdt. No. 2745; To create a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating abusive tax loopholes.
Date/time: March 10, 2004, 9:34 p.m.
NO Votes: John McCain, Lamar Alexander, Wayne Allard, George Allen, Robert Bennett, Kit Bond, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, Conrad Burns, Ben Campbell, Lincoln Chafee, Saxby Chambliss, Thad Cochran, Norm Coleman, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Larry Craig, Michael Crapo, Mike DeWine, Elizabeth Dole, John Ensign, Michael Enzi, Peter Fitzgerald, Bill First, Lindsey Graham, Charles Grassley, Judd Gregg, Chuck Hagel, Orrin Hatch, Kay Bailey Hutchison, James Inhofe, Jon Kyl, Trent Lott, Richard Lugar, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Donald Nickles, Pat Roberts, Rick Santorum, Jeff Sessions, Richard Shelby, Gordon Smith, Olympia Snowe, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens, John Sununu, Jim Talent, Craig Thomas, George Voinovich, John Warner ·

Voted against Veterans because of contractors

Bill: S 1042 - Vote description: Dorgan Amdt. No. 2476; To establish a special committee of the Senate to investigate the awarding and carrying out of contracts to conduct activities in Afghanistan and Iraq and to fight the war on terrorism.
Date/time: November 10, 2005, 11:35 a.m.
Voted NO: John McCain, Wayne Allard, George Allen, Robert Bennett, Kit Bond, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, Conrad Burns, Richard Burr, Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, Thad Cochran, Norm Coleman, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Larry Craig, Michael Crapo, Jim DeMint, Mike DeWine, Elizabeth Dole, Pete Domenici, John Ensign, Michael Enzi, Bill First, Lindsey Graham, Charles Grassley, Judd Gregg, Chuck Hagel, Orrin Hatch, Kay Bailey Hutchison, James Inhofe, Johnny Isakson, Jon Kyl, Trent Lott, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Pat Roberts, Rick Santorum, Jeff Sessions, Richard Shelby, Gordon Smith, Olympia Snowe, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens, John Sununu, Jim Talent, Craig Thomas, John Thune, David Vitter, George Voinovich, John Warner ·

02/02/2006 Tax Rate Extension Amendment
S AMDT 2735 N Motion Rejected - Senate
(44 - 53)
11/17/2005 Additional Funding For Veterans Amendment
S AMDT 2634 N Motion Rejected - Senate
(43 - 55)
10/05/2005 Health Care for Veterans Amendment
S AMDT 1937 N Motion Rejected - Senate
(48 - 51)
05/22/2008 GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions
S Amdt 4803 N Amendment Adopted - Senate
(75 - 22)

Maybe the most telling report came from this site

Representative Nussle and Senator Grassley Opposed Expanding TRICARE to National Guards and Reserve Volunteers
Both Senator Grassley and Representative Nussle voted against expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to all reservists and National Guard members. The proposal would have expanded military health care to provide access to TRICARE to members of the Guard and Reservists and their families for a low fee, which would have helped 2,416 in Iowa.

Senator Grassely Voted Against Improving Health Care for Veterans and Representatives Nussle and Leach Refused to Consider $2.6 Billion Increase in VA Health Care Funding.

Senator Grassely voted against making a portion of VA funding mandatory or automatic, like other health related programs. Grassely also repeatedly voted against overall funding for veterans' medical care by almost $2 billion. In addition Representatives Nussel and Leach repeatedly voted to block efforts to increase VA funding by about $2.5 billion.


Republicans break their promises

There are some great people really trying to take care of the veterans on both sides of the political debate, but Grassely has not been one of them. Look up their voting records when they claim one thing but do another. When it comes time to vote again, their record matters more than what they say. They all have a chance to do the right thing, as they have had in the past, but we are where we are because too many didn't want to really support the troops or veterans. We have only ourselves to blame for supporting the wrong people just because they said the right things.