Washington, DC—Today Representative Raúl M. Grijalva responded to the Blue Dog Coalition tactics on the Iraq Supplemental vote:

“The Blue Dog Coalition has once again placed their political priorities above the needs of our veterans. Their claims of fiscal responsibility by requiring pay-as-you-go rules be applied to funding our veterans’ education in the expansion of the GI bill contradicts their irresponsible approach to sending our troops to war on faulty intelligence, and their continued funding support of an open end war in Iraq time and time again.

“The inconsistency of their claims that these proposed GI benefits are entitlements rather than an earned reward for the brave service of the men and woman in our armed services is unconscionable. The Blue Dog Coalition has ignored their own principles when it comes to opposing withdraw timelines, supporting open ended war funding, not holding private contractors in Iraq accountable for overcharges and outright defrauding of our taxpayers.

“This inconsistency in the Blue Dog Coalition’s logic hurts our service members who have served and sacrificed the most for our nation. The Blue Dog Coalition must continue the commitment they made when they decided to send the soldiers and their continued support for a prolonged engagement in Iraq. Their efforts to hold hostage the GI bill expansion also hurts our veterans’ families who continue to sacrifice so much in support of our nation.

“The Blue Dog Coalition should not support sending our men and women into war if they are not willing to match that commitment in support of the needs of our veterans and their families. We owe it to our veterans to reward them for their brave and valued service to our nation.

“I call on the Blue Dog Coalition to reconsider this political ploy and stand with the Democratic Caucus in support of these brave veterans and their families and support the expansion of the GI Bill and efforts to bring our troops home as currently proposed.”