Cornyn: Presidential Politics Should Not Take Precedence Over America's Veterans

Press Release

Cornyn: Presidential Politics Should Not Take Precedence Over America's Veterans

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, expressed his disappointment today with the decision by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid to adjourn the Senate mid-week and delay a vote on important legislation to strengthen Veterans' benefits in order to accommodate the schedules of the Democratic presidential candidates. The Democratic Leader's decision came just hours after he accused Senate Republicans of seeking to delay action on the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008.

"Presidential politicking should not stand in the way of critical efforts to help America's Veterans," Sen. Cornyn said. "If individual Senators decide to skip a legislative session based on their own personal or political decisions, they should have to explain that themselves to the American people. But to tell our Veterans that the presidential aspirations of individual Senators are more important than passing legislation that they need and deserve is simply offensive. This is an example of the crass, partisan politics that Americans have come to associate with Washington. The Democrats might as well have put a note on their doors that tells Veterans, ‘Gone fishing until 5:00 pm.' I hope the American people take note of what has happened here in the Senate this week when the Democratic Leader very clearly placed politics above principle and delayed this critical legislation."

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