U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) recently offered a bicameral bill to prevent resources from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from being used to provide taxpayer-funded health care to illegal aliens.
“Our nation’s veterans deserve nothing less than the very best care we have to offer,” Sen. Blackburn said. “Joe Biden is trying to take away health care from our brave veterans to give to illegal immigrants. Under no circumstances should taxpayer dollars intended to support our veterans be spent on illegal immigrants.”
Sen. Blackburn on Dec. 12, 2023, joined U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) to introduce the No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act, S. 3490, which would prohibit the VA Secretary from providing health care to or engaging in claims processing health care for any individual unlawfully present in the United States who is not eligible for health care under the laws administered by the secretary, according to the text of the bill.
Rep. Bost, chairman of the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, on Dec. 13, 2023, sponsored the identical H.R. 6744 alongside five GOP original cosponsors.
The congressman said it appears that U.S. President Joe Biden is “taking resources away from our veterans to facilitate health care for illegal migrants” based on Fox News reports.
“As a Marine, I believe any dollar taken away from a veteran is a promise broken to those who served,” said Rep. Bost. “I’ve demanded answers from the Biden administration and been stonewalled every step of the way. Until I get the response our veterans deserve, I’ll use every available tool of my chairmanship to end this practice and put our veterans first.”
Both measures have been referred for consideration to their respective Veterans’ Affairs Committees.