New Merkley Ad: America's Veterans Deserve Better

Congress Ignored Veterans, Merkley Listened and Delivered

While Congress has found billions to fund the war in Iraq, America's veterans struggle to afford medicine and wait in line to see a doctor. Jeff Merkley believes America's veterans deserve better, and in the latest ad from Jeff Merkley's campaign for U.S. Senate, Oregon veterans praise Merkley for his work to cut taxes and expand health care access for veterans.

WATCH THE NEW AD, "DESERVE BETTER"

As Speaker of the House, Merkley delivered for veterans and men and women in uniform in Oregon:

* Improving health care for veterans;

* Cutting taxes for more members of the Oregon National Guard;

* Expanding financial aid for veterans pursuing full or part-time study or training; and

* Establishing new public service opportunities for veterans.

Jeff Merkley has plans to give America's veterans and men and women in uniform the respect they deserve, including:

* Fully funding the VA health care system;

* Extending full VA and other benefits to members of the National Guard who have been deployed overseas;

* Revising deployment guidelines to require that servicemen and women be given at least as much time at home as they spend on each tour of duty;

* Increasing funding for mental health services to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan;

* Immediately enacting concurrent receipt benefits to allow disabled veterans to collect their full retirement pay when they leave service;

* Ensuring proper screening and treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury for returning veterans; and

* Providing free tuition to family members of those who lose loved ones who lose their lives serving on active duty.

While Jeff Merkley has stood up to oppose the war in Iraq and deliver for our veterans, Gordon Smith has been a rubber stamp for George Bush on the Iraq war and our veterans have paid the price.

Smith has voted at least 23 times for the war in Iraq. [Vote #232, 10/10/02; Vote #235, 10/10/02; Vote #236, 10/10/02; Vote # 237, 10/11/02; Vote #371, 10/1/03; Vote #379, 10/14/03; Vote #380, 10/14/03; Vote #389, 10/16/03; Vote #391, 10/17/03; Vote #392, 10/17/03; Vote #394, 10/17/03; Vote #399, 10/17/03; Vote #130, 6/17/04; Vote #322, 11/15/05; Vote #181, 6/22/06; Vote #182, 6/22/06; Vote #233, 9/6/06; Vote #243, 9/13/06; Senate vote #44, 02/05/07; The Oregonian, 2/6/07; Senate vote #167, 5/16/07; Senate vote #181, 5/24/07; Senate vote #345, 09/20/07; Senate vote #362, 10/03/07; Senate vote #437, 12/18/07]

Gordon Smith sided with George Bush to send our troops to Iraq without the body armor they needed to keep them safe. He even voted with George Bush to extend tours of duty to reservists. [Senate vote #237, 10/11/02; Senate vote #376, 10/2/03; Senate vote #397, 10/17/03]

Smith even opposed a tax deduction for combat pay and voted to cut benefits for our men and women in uniform. [Senate vote #344, 11/17/05; Senate vote #81, 3/17/05]

Smith voted 24 times against funding for health programs for veterans and their families. [Vote #168, 7/10/97; Vote #76, 4/2/98; Vote #175, 6/25/98; Vote #185, 7/7/98; Vote #187, 7/8/98; Vote #210, 7/17/98; Vote #243, 7/30/99; Vote #84, 4/6/01; Vote #81, 3/25/03; Vote #379, 10/14/03; Vote #34, 3/9/04; Vote #40, 3/10/04; Vote #48, 3/11/04; Vote #145, 6/23/04; Vote #55, 3/16/05; Vote #114, 4/28/05; Vote #242, 9/22/05; Vote #251, 10/5/05; Vote #7, 2/2/06; Vote #15, 2/13/06; Vote #41, 3/14/06; Vote #63, 3/16/06; Vote #48, 2/14/07; Vote #114, 3/23/07]

After denying America's veterans the health care they deserve, Smith found the money to give a tax cut to millionaires and a pay raise to himself. [Senate vote #196, 5/23/03; Senate vote #211, 7/29/05]

Script: "Deserve Better"

I'm Jeff Merkley and I approve this message because Washington needs to start doing the same.

Posted October 13, 2008
Press