As Gov. Rick Scott continues to tour the state touting his support for veterans, on a conference call Thursday, the governor was called out for his failed policies regarding veterans and military families.
Senator Dwight Bullard and Rep. Dwight Dudley, who joined veterans on the call, noted that Scott had vetoed millions in funding for homeless programs, education benefits, and legal services to help veterans across the state.
In 2011 Scott vetoed $12 million for the National Veterans Homeless Support organization, which provides transitional housing and job training to homeless veterans. And in 2013, he again vetoed $2 million in legal aid for struggling Floridians, including veterans needing assistance in applying for benefits.
“Rick Scott is going around the state, touting his support for veterans. But how can we trust someone who has consistently put his self-interest over the needs of our service members and their families,” said Bullard. “Now that it’s election year, he wants us to forget his dubious record in the private sector, as well as his callous disregard for veterans during his administration. We’re here to say that we won’t forget.”
Although veterans and military service organizations opposed the law, in 2013, Scott signed a bill which allowed consumer lenders to raise interest rates up to 30 percent on certain loans, as well as increase late fee penalties, creating even greater hardships for vulnerable populations, including service members and their families.
No doubt with his re-election in mind, earlier this year, Scott allocated $1 million for the Honorably Discharged Graduate Assistance Program which provides supplemental need-based veteran educational benefits, although last year he had vetoed a $2 million budget item that provided the exact same assistance.
Veterans on the conference call said, not nearly enough is being done to assist them with their reintegration into civilian life, including finding jobs. Educational counseling, sadly in short supply, was key to helping them acclimate back into society.
Noting that he had proudly co-sponsored a long overdue ‘GI Bill’ which helps veterans save millions of dollars by paying in-state tuition, Dudley called on Scott to do more for veterans in areas such as job training or housing.
“I also call on Gov. Rick Scott to expand healthcare access, which would give coverage to 40,000 uninsured veterans,” he said.
Participants on the call were also reminded that prior to Scott becoming governor, his hospital company, Columbia/HCA had ripped off hundreds of millions of dollars from Medicare, Medicare and TRICARE, the military’s health program which provides care to active duty service members, retirees and family members. Scott’s company, Columbia/HCA would end up paying a record $1.7 billion in fines, one of the biggest health care fraud settlements in the history of the U.S., for over billing and making fraudulent claims.
[…] Scott slammed for disastrous record on vets, military families […]