Akin votes to cut veterans benefits, votes seven times to raise his own pay

(From the Claire McCaskill campaign)

In a brazen display of hypocrisy, Todd Akin, who’s served in Congress for 12 years, has repeatedly turned his back on Missouri’s veterans by voting to cut veterans benefits, often during the same period of time he voted to raise his own Congressional pay. In 2006, Akin voted to raise his own pay just one month after voting to cut veterans benefits by $6 billion. In 2001, Akin voted to raise his own pay just five days before he voted against fully-funding veterans benefits.

"It takes some real gall for Todd Akin to tell veterans we can't afford to fully fund their benefits just five days after he voted to raise his own Congressional salary," said Erik Dorey. "During his 12 years in Congress, Todd Akin made it clear that he prioritizes his own well-being over the needs of Missouri's veterans. The contrast is clear: Claire voted to stop her own pay raises while working to strengthen funding for veterans' benefits and programs, and Todd Akin voted to raise his own pay while trying to reduce this important funding. Simply put, Todd Akin would not be a Senator on our side."

In 2006, 2005, and 2003, Akin voted to cut veterans benefits while also voting to raise his own pay. Between 2000, when he was elected, and 2007, Akin voted seven times to raise his own Congressional salary by nearly $40,000 over the course of 10 years.

Fully funding veterans benefits and ensuring all veterans have proper access to the healthcare they need has been a top priority for Claire, whose father was a World War II veteran. As a daughter of rural Missouri, Claire paid special attention to rural veterans who have to drive long distances for their treatment at VA hospitals. Claire fought to raise the mileage reimbursement rate for rural veterans, so that they are not being financially punished for receiving the health care they need.

Claire not only fought for access to VA hospitals, she also fought for expanded access to mental health services and improved conditions at VA hospitals. As we continue to learn more about the impact of conditions like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Claire continues to fight for expanded access to mental health services.

BACKGROUND

2006

2006: Akin Supported Budget That Cut $6 Billion from Veterans Programs and Increased Fees. In May 2006, Akin voted in favor of a $2.8 trillion budget that cut key programs like education, health and veterans programs. The budget cut veterans' healthcare beyond 2007. Despite an initial boost in veterans' health spending, the Republican budget resolution actually cut funding for veterans' appropriated programs by $6 billion below the level that CBO estimates is needed to maintain current services. Additionally, the Republican budget resolution included significant increases in TRICARE costs for military retirees under 65. In fact, healthcare fees will triple for retired officers, double for retired senior enlisted personnel, and increase by 40 percent for junior enlisted retirees. The budget passed 218-210. [House Budget Committee, Minority Staff Analysis of the FY 07 Budget; Vote 158,5/18/06]

• Akin Vote to Allow $507 Million to Be Stripped from Veterans Programs. In May 2006, Akin voted in favor of the rule governing debate of the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. The rule left $507 million worth of projects unprotected from points of order. Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a member of the ultra-conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC), lodged points of order against $507 million worth of projects in the bill, thus stripping them out of the legislation. The points of order were only allowed because the rule governing debate of the bill put forward by the GOP leadership did not protect the funds from points of order. The rule passed 216-187. [CQ Today, 5/19/06; Vote 174, 5/19/06]

Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise. One month after voting to cut $6 billion from veterans programs, Akin voted to kill an amendment that would block an automatic pay hike for members of Congress. By killing the attempt to block the pay raise, Akin voted to receive a 2 percent increase and an annual salary of $165,200. The effort to block the anti-pay raise amendment passed 249-167. [H RES 865, Vote #261, 6/13/06] NOTE: This pay raise was later blocked by the Democratic Congress in 2007.

2005

Akin Supported Budget That Cut Veterans Programs by $13.5 Billion. In April 2005, Akin voted in favor of final passage of the $2.6 trillion budget conference report for 2006. The conference report cut funding for veterans' health care by $13.5 billion over five years. The budget passed 214-211. [House Budget Committee Democratic Caucus, "Summary and Analysis of FY 2006 Budget Resolution Conference Report," 4/28/05; Vote 149, 4/28/05]

Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise. Akin voted in favor of a measure intended to prevent the introduction of an amendment blocking an increase in the annual salary for House members by $3,100 to $165,000. The House blocked a bid by Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT) to force an up-or-down vote on the pay raise. The effort to block the anti-pay raise amendment passed 263-152. [HR 342,Vote #327, 6/28/05]

2004

Akin Supported Budget That Under-Funded Veterans Programs and Was Strongly Opposed by Veterans' Groups. In 2004, Akin voted in favor of a the fiscal year 2005 budget resolution that cut funding for veterans programs and was strongly opposed by major veterans' organizations. A coalition of veterans groups, including the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was vehemently opposed to the bill. "Passage of the budget resolution, as presented, would be a disservice to those men and women who have served this country and who are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world in our fight against terrorism," the groups said. The budget resolution passed 215-212. [Letter to Members, 3/23/04; Vote 92, 3/20/04]

Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise in 2004. Akin voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $89.8 billion in fiscal 2005 for the departments of Treasury and Transportation and related agencies. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 235-170. [H Res 770, Vote #451, 9/14/04]

2003

Akin Supported Budget That Cut $15 Billion from Veterans Programs and Increased Fees. In March 2003, Akin voted for a budget that called for cutting $15 billion from veterans' benefits, including veterans' pensions, compensation, education and other benefits, over 10 years. The Disabled Veterans of America strongly opposed the budget, sending a letter to all members of Congress "to communicate our deep-seated outrage regarding the fiscal year 2004 budget adopted by the House Budget Committee, which would cut veterans programs by more than $15 billion during the next 10 years." The GOP budget also included the President's proposal to impose a $250 fee for enrollment in VA health care for category 7 and 8 veterans, along with a doubling of the drug co-payment for those veterans. The budget passed 215-212. [Letter from Edward R. Heath, National Commander, Disabled Veterans of America, 3/17/03; Vote 82, 3/21/03]

Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise in 2003. Akin voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $89.6 billion in fiscal 2004 spending, including $27.5 billion in discretionary spending, for the departments of Treasury and Transportation and related agencies. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 240-173. [H. Res. 351, Vote #463, 9/4/03]

2001

Akin Opposed Full Funding for Veterans Benefits. In 2001, Akin voted against a motion to recommit the VA-HUD appropriations bill to the House Appropriations Committee with instructions to add language to increase funding for VA medical care programs by an amount adequate to fully fund the cost of all currently authorized services, including those under the Veterans Millennium Health Care Act (PL 106-117). The motion was defeated, 196-230. [Vote 296, 7/30/01]

Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise in 2001. Akin voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $32.7 billion in fiscal 2002 for the Treasury Department, U.S. Postal Service, various offices of the Executive Office of the President and certain independent agencies. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 293-129. [H Res. 206, Vote #267, 7/25/01]

Akin Also Voted to Raise His Own Pay in 2002 and 2007. Akin has voted against efforts to block the annual cost-of-living increases that Members of Congress receive seven times since 2001.

• Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise in 2007. In 2007, Akin voted in favor of a measure to kill an amendment that would block an automatic pay hike for members of Congress. By voting in favor of the effort to the kill the amendment, Akin voted for a 2.5 percent salary increase ($4,400) for an annual salary of $169,600. The motion to kill the amendment passed 244-181. [Washington Post, 6/28/07, HR 517, Vote #580, 6/27/07]
• Akin Supported Congressional Pay Raise in 2002. Akin voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $35.1 billion in fiscal 2003 Treasury-Postal appropriations. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 258-156. [H. Res. 488, Vote #322, 7/18/02