US Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) Votes Against Her Own Vets Education Benefits Bill

[seafan]

Brown-Waite Votes Against Her Own Vets Education Benefits Bill



Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville FL


May 16, 2008 by Billy House, Tribune Washington Bureau
Updated May 16, 2008 at 02:25 PM

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite was for the new G.I. education bill before she was against it.

In fact, the Brooksville Republican was lead House GOP co-sponsor of the bill to expand vets’ education benefits. Then on Thursday, she voted against it, as it passed the House 256-166.
The reason: Brown-Waite was upset that Democrats who control the House decided to pay for the increased educational benefits with what they called a “Patriots Premium”—a surtax of half a percentage point on wealthy Americans’ incomes above $500,000, or $1 million for couples. It’s expected to generate $56 billion over ten years.

Conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats in the House wanted the funding source specified before they would agree to the bill, which provides full tuition at any public unviersity for returning Iraq and Afghanistan vets. Borwn-Waite said the cost should be included in war spending, not paid for with raised taxes.

Veterans groups hailed passage of the bill as a victory, but Brown-Waite said on the House floor, “I’m saddened because I can’t vote for its passage” because Democrats had included “an egregious tax.”
“There is no need for this tax and certainly it’s not welcomed at a time when our economy is struggling,” she said, accusing Democrats of being willing to “play games” with the needs of veterans.
Her office then sent out a news release with a link to her House web site , where viewers can watch her speech.

Later Thursday, Brown-Waite and her Democratic co-sponsor, Rep. Harry Mitchell of Arizona, sent a letter top Senate appropriators asking them not to include the tax in its version of the bill.
Brown-Waite now faces explaining her stance to local service men and woman. She may start as early as Saturday, when she is scheduled to appear at an Armed Forces Day event at about 10 a.m. the corner of SR 50 and U.S. 19 in Hernando County.

Here is another one to eject from the House this November.

[lpbk2713]

1. LOL

:crazy: :crazy:


These clowns are just too good to be true some times.

[grantcart]

2. great catch

[TwilightGardener]

3. I used to know her daughter, when I lived in FL. Nasty pieces of work, that family.

[DAGDA56]

5. You took the exact phrase out of my mouth! That goes for the entire family...

...including the husband caught stealing opponent's yard signs.

[varelse]

4. Where the HELL does she think the money will come from?

The only people left who could afford to foot the bill for this, or any other Federal spending, are the top 20%. Everyone else is struggling, or sliding towards the struggle, with housing, health care, transportation, food, and credit card costs. :mad:

[tabasco]

6. Those crazy Democrats - - wanting to pay the bills!

I'm sure this idiot republican just wanted to borrow some more form China.

[marmar]

7. Isn't this the same troglodyte that said Puerto Ricans aren't US citizens?

The one that Debbie Wasserman-Schulz pals around with?

[seafan]

9. Puerto Rico House unanimously condemns Brown-Waite for claiming they are "foreign citizens".

Puerto Rico House unanimously condemns Brown-Waite

February 4, 2008

Jeanette Rivera-Lyles just filed this report:

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives demanded today a public apology from Florida congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite for calling Puerto Ricans "foreign citizens" in a press release last week.
With that, Brown-Waite attempted to make the case that Puerto Ricans should not be included in President Bush's economic stimulus package that would send checks to taxpayers with the hope of jumpstarting the economy.

In a resolution that passed unanimously, the Puerto Rico House said Brown-Waite's comments are denigrating and ignorant.

"Congresswoman Brown-Waite's statement is infuriating and contradictory as it pertains to four million of her fellow American citizens that live in our island," House Speaker Jose Aponte Hernández said in a press release.

"The distorted perception she has of Puerto Ricans is incredible given that she is part of a state with a large population of Hispanics of which close to a million are Puerto Ricans."

The resolution highlights that thousands of Puerto Ricans have fought and died defending the United States in every major conflict since World War I.

"Our men and women have been defended our nation and our democracy alongside their fellow citizens from the 50 states," Aponte Hernández said.

Puerto Ricans were made American citizens in 1917, almost two decades after the United States invaded the island during the Spanish- American war. Those who live in the U.S. territory are exempted from paying federal income taxes unless they are federal employees. Island residents do pay social security and Medicare taxes.

Florida is infested with the likes of Brown-Waite.

[Rosemary2205]

8. they forced her to choose between vets and the rich - guess who won

she could just have easily voted for it and put out a press release stating she was against the way the bill was funded but thought the vets were more important.

Asshat.