BENNINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders reaffirmed his commitment to adequate funding for veteran’s health care services at an American Legion dinner meeting here Friday.
The independent Vermont senator capped a daylong tour of Southern Vermont, with a speech to more than 160 legionnaires from posts around the state at the service organization’s Mid-Winter Conference, hosted by Bennington’s Post 13.
“I want to strengthen the VA (Veterans Administration),” Sanders said. “Right now, there are too many [staff] vacancies at the VA.”
There are 30,000 staffing vacancies nationally at all levels at clinics and other VA facilities, Sanders told reporters. While care centers are serving patients, Sanders said, he wants to ensure that the federal department is adequately funded and staffed so that veterans receive care “in a timely manner.”
In Washington, some in Congress are pushing for privatization of VA health care services, he said. Vets would be given vouchers to receive care from private providers.
“I believe that is a bad idea,” Sanders said. “Nobody would tell you the VA is perfect. But the truth is, especially in this state, most people are proud of the care they are getting at the VA, and they want us to defend that care. And I intend to do that as best I can.”
Following his remarks, Sanders touched on other issues, including the ongoing probe into possible collusion between the campaign to elect Donald Trump president in 2016 and Russian officials or operatives and possible obstruction. News reports have focused on recent criticism of Mueller from the White House and Congressional Republicans who question the validity of the investigation.
“I have a lot of respect for Bob [Robert] Mueller,” he said of the special counsel and former FBI director leading the investigation. “I think he should be left alone to do his job without interference.”
Sanders also explained why he voted against the tax structure overhaul that passed the Republican-controlled Congress in December and was signed by President Trump.
“I voted against the tax bill because 84 percent of the benefit over 10 years will go to the top 1 percent,” he said, adding that “when we talk about tax reform, it has got to be about the middle class, for working families, not for billionaires.”
Sanders also said he opposed passage of the continuing resolution over the Trump administration’s decision to deport 800,000 young people whose parents came to the United States illegally. Many were born in the United States. Under an Obama administration policy, they were allowed them remain in the country legally. Sanders sought an extension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy.
“Polls show that this is what the American people want,” he said. Sanders, and his Democratic colleagues in Congress, fought for protection of the DACA residents during a recent federal budget standoff that resulted in a brief government shutdown. “I think what you have there is a moral issue,” he said.
In previous stops Friday, Sanders attended a college and career fair event in Springfield, a Head Start classroom and a senior housing facility in Brattleboro.
