Fossella fails our troops

On Sunday we covered Rep. Fossella's C+ grade from the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). Just a recap, his C+ ties him for 19th in just New York state Congressional rankings. Only three Reps. in New York received a lower score than his.

Apparently this is not the type of news Rep. Vito Fossella wants following him around in this already tight Congressional race. Yesterday the Staten Island Advance ran a story on his unhappiness with the rating.

"Especially in the election season, politicians stand up and talk about how they support the troops, but the votes don't always match the rhetoric," said Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq veteran who is founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

The group analyzed legislation in Congress since Sept. 11, 2001, including 169 House measures. For each one they felt affected troops, veterans or military families, they took a position and graded lawmakers based on the votes.

SNIP

Matt Mika, campaign manager for Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), shot back that the congressman has fought on behalf of the Brooklyn Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the veterans' outpatient clinic in Bloomfield, and has staunchly supported members of the armed forces.

We just have to go back to video from a recent debate to see this hitting close to home when Rep. Fossella is questioned about voting against extending TRICARE to Reservists and National Guard members.



Despite his claims he never voted against TRICARE, we know this;

Rep. Fossella opposed expanding access to the military's TRICARE health insurance program to thousands of Reservist and National Guard members, even though 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage.

HR 1815 , Vote #221, 5/25/2005

It seems as though Rep. Vito Fossella likes to think he supports our troops until it comes time to actually support our troops. Keeping them away from their families for extended terms of service is not what I would call 'support' and neither is failing to introduce legislation to adequately protect them and provide armor. I guess he thinks it is enough just to propose mail subsidies for families to send mail to soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan and nothing else.

Rep. Fossella, if you don't like your grade do something about it and actually support our troops instead of crying to the teacher that it was unfair.