Support needed for full funding for veterans

To the editor: Rep. Sue Kelly supports the war in Iraq, but unlike her predecessor Ben Gilman, her voting record on veterans issues shows little support for our troops, and veterans. Sue Kelly has voted: • To stop 3.6 billion of funding for quality of life enhancement for US military personnel (HR 3289 10/16/03); • To cut access to disability and retirement benefits (HR 1588, 11/6/03); • Against a job-training program to assist unemployed veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan (HR 27, 3/2/05); • Against $50 million for job training programs and $100 million in health care funds for veterans (HR 1268, 3/16/05); • Against giving military reservists access to TRICARE health care which the active-duty military receives (HR 1815, 5/25/05); and • She has voted twice against bankruptcy protection for active duty military personnel and veterans. Rep. Kelly has voted for cuts in the VA budget for every year up until this election year, when the House gave us an increase that is about a third of what was needed. We need to elect candidates that support full-funding for the Veterans Administration. That is why this Vietnam veteran will be voting for John Hall on election day. George Weber Warwick