Romney Links Defense Cuts To Veteran Suicides

WATCH: Romney Links Defense Cuts To Veteran Suicides
September 27th, 2012
Henry Decker

In a speech at an American Legion hall in Springfield, Virginia, Mitt Romney tied the rising number of veteran suicides to the legislative battle over cuts to the defense budget.

“We have huge numbers of our men and women that are returning from conflict, that are seeking counseling, psychological counseling, and can’t find that counseling within our system. And, of course, record numbers of suicides. This is a crisis!” Romney declared.

“Given the needs of our veterans, how in the world, as commander-in-chief, you could stand by as we shrink our military commitment financially is something that I don’t understand, and I will reverse it,” he added.

First, veterans’ health care is exempt from the sequestration deal that Romney is attacking. The Obama administration is not abandoning veterans’ needs, as Romney charges.

In fact, the administration has actually been an active advocate for veterans’ care. In August, President Obama signed an executive order directing the Veterans Administration to hire 1,600 new mental health professionals and 800 new peer support counselors, along with expanding the capacity of its crisis line to ensure that veterans in need can meet with a counselor within 24 hours. Furthermore, the Department of Veterans Affairs has seen its budget increase in each year of Obama’s presidency.

By contrast, Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan’s budget plan would cut the VA budget by $11 billion. Ryan also voted for the very same defense cuts that Romney criticized today (although he now tries to deny it.)
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Watching this video made me sick.  I heard people clapping when he said all of this. These are members of the American Legion and should know better.