Rep. Gallego and AZ Veterans Blast GOP House Members For Voting to Cut Their Benefits

“A Huge Slap in the Face”: Veteran Constituents of Gosar, Crane, Schweikert, Ciscomani Condemn AZ Republicans in Congress for Supporting McCarthy’s Default Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego and Arizona veterans joined Courage for America to call out the majority of the AZ GOP delegation for voting in favor of the MAGA default plan, which will make deep cuts to veterans’ benefits. Nearly every Arizona Republican in the House — Rep. David Schweikert, Rep. Eli Crane, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, Rep. Debbie Lesko, and Rep. Paul Gosar — voted in support of the extreme plan. This vote passed by the slimmest of margins, making each one of these members the deciding vote on this bill.

The press call comes on the heels of Courage for America’s nationwide bus tour, which stopped in Phoenix and Flagstaff earlier this month calling on AZ Republicans to back off critical benefits Americans rely on.

WATCH THE FULL EVENT HERE

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03)

“The fact that you have Republicans, right now, that are trying to defund the V.A. to basically pay for their tax cuts…It ends up being, I think, a huge slap in the face.”

“These are the same people that wear the flag on their lapel pins. They’re the ones that always say that they’re ‘patriots.’ They’re always the ones that say ‘you got to back the troops.’ Well, guess what? They’re not backing us up right now. They’re putting us on the chopping block so that they can preserve their tax cuts and try to use us as leverage in order for them to really continue their really extremist point of views.”

Sylvia Andersh-Gonzales, veteran and Rep. Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) constituent

“Juan Ciscomani was supposed to be elected to represent all of us and instead he wants to just play Santa Claus to the rich and corporations. As woman and as a Hispanic veteran, I don’t like the fact that they’re playing political games with our lives – I find that unforgivable.”

Paulette Yazzie, veteran and Rep. Crane (R-AZ-02) constituent 

“So please, Representative Eli, prioritize your constituents over party interests. Don’t mess around with our benefits. Don’t take us for granted.”

Frank Thompson, veteran and Arizona resident

“Why is it you always find the funds to send us to die, but can never find the funds to take care of us when we return?”

Ricardo Reyes, Marine veteran and Rep. Schweikert (R-AZ-01) constituent

“I just wanted to say how disappointed I am in David Schweikert – but I am constantly disappointed by him and other Republicans, it’s nothing new. They won’t care that we’re doing this. They won’t care that we’re veterans, speaking our mind, and letting them know how the cuts that they’re proposing are going to hurt us.”

Derek Duba, Army veteran and Rep. Gosar (R-AZ-09) constituent 

“These cuts will result in nearly a million fewer appointments available for Arizona veterans this year, if passed. I waited three months this year for a behavioral health care appointment through the Phoenix, V.A. – I had to be hospitalized waiting for that care – because our resources are already spread so thin. So my question to House GOP is this: Who are you looking to fire? Is it my psychiatrist? Is it my physical therapist? Is it the security guards at the door?”

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