VFW endorses Jo Ann Emerson

Veterans of Foreign Wars has endorsed Republican incumbent Jo Ann Emerson for Eighth District Congress. From the news release:

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Political Action Committee today announced its strong endorsement of Jo Ann Emerson in her effort to return to Congress to continue the fight to improve care and support for our nation’s veterans.


“It is with great pleasure that the VFW-PAC announces its endorsement of Jo Ann Emerson in her bid for reelection,” said Dewey Riehn, Missouri VFW Legislative Chairman. “Throughout the years Jo Ann has been a great friend to veterans by sponsoring and supporting legislation to the benefit of America’s veterans. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with her in the years to come.”

“Our nation’s responsibility to our veterans should not simply end when they return home from a battlefield far away,” said Emerson. “These brave men and women put their lives on the line in defense of our freedom and they deserve our sincere thanks, admiration, and respect. I am not only proud, but truly honored to have their support.”

Emerson, a leading champion for our nation’s veterans and their families, continues to work on a bipartisan basis to ensure and improve health care, job-training, and housing services for our returning warriors.

In July, Emerson sponsored and won congressional approval of an amendment to the fiscal year 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill requiring the Veterans Administration (VA) to notify by telephone within 30 days any VA patient who may have been exposed to improperly sterilized medical equipment. Following the shocking misconduct at John Cochran’s VA Medical Center in St. Louis, the VA waited nearly four months to inform those patients who had been exposed.

“There is zero tolerance for behavior that places the health of VA patients at risk,” Emerson said at the time.

The VFW-PAC considered 13 key congressional votes related to veterans health care, job training, and Department of Defense funding in deciding which candidates to endorse. Of those 13 votes, Emerson voted in support of the VFW’s position on 12.

While Emerson’s opponent, as he has done with many other issues, has sought to distort her record in support of veterans and their families, today’s endorsement by the VFW-PAC affirms her strong record and strong support among veterans in the Eighth District.