Vets get slap in the face for Memorial Day

It took a lot of arm-twisting by Republicans to get some members to switch their votes, and a rare tie-breaking vote by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, but the GOP majority managed to stop House Democrats from doing something to help veterans and their families on the eve of Memorial Day weekend.

Democrats wanted to use $169-million of money for base closings to pay for benefits for the families of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and for veterans' health care accounts. That failed by a single vote.

Wisconsin's Dave Obey wanted to do a lot more.

The AP reports: Republicans turned back, by a 223-194 margin, an attempt by Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, to add $2.6 billion for veterans health care. He would have paid for it by increasing taxes on the wealthy.

Obey complained that while Congress gives a virtual blank check for military costs in Iraq and Afghanistan, it comes up short when caring for soldiers upon their return.

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