Democrats Cry ‘Dirty Pool’ After GOP Passes Veterans Bill by Voice Vote, Their Second Floor Stumble in Two Days
House Democrats are crying foul after Republicans passed a major veterans bill by voice vote on Veterans Day, with no recorded opposition, because no Democrat asked for a roll call in time.
It was the second floor stumble in as many days for the incoming majority, the Washington Examiner reported. On Tuesday, 11 Democrats missed the vote on impeachment articles against War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Republicans tabled the measure. Many of the absent members were at a political event down the street.
Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts accused Republicans of “dirty pool,” according to the Examiner.
How It Happened
The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act would raise pay for disabled and injured veterans, change VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus, and expand eligibility for a memorial headstone or marker for spouses, Just the News reported. It also covers VA hiring and infrastructure and sets up screening for certain mental health programs.
Clark had urged Democrats to vote no. But the bill came up while Rep. Mark Takano of California, the top Democrat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, was away from the podium discussing changes to it, according to Just the News.
Rep. Addison McDowell, the North Carolina Republican presiding over the chamber, then called the question. When no Democrat demanded a recorded vote, he declared the bill passed by voice, the outlet reported.
“While members and staff were evaluating these changes away from the podium, House Republicans called the vote up and passed it by voice within seconds,” a Democratic leadership aide said, Just the News reported. The aide called the bill “the biggest cut to veterans benefits in US history” and added, “On Veterans Day of all days, using dirty tricks to steal from Veterans is a disgrace.”
Republicans: Long-Overdue Reforms
Republicans reject that framing. “This historic package of veterans legislation delivers long overdue reforms to strengthen veterans’ healthcare, expand benefits, and cut through VA bureaucracy,” Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost of Illinois, the bill’s sponsor, wrote on X, Just the News reported.
The dispute centers on a provision that trims some veterans’ benefits to pay for increases in other claims, the Examiner reported. Democrats say that amounts to a cut; Republicans say the package as a whole expands care and pay.
Either way, the episode punctured Democrats’ victory lap. “House Democrats’ midterm euphoria came to a crashing halt on Capitol Hill this week, as two voting setbacks pierced the party’s victory lap,” the Examiner wrote.
The stumbles matter because Democrats will need near-perfect attendance and floor discipline once they take the gavel in January. Until then, Republicans still control the House floor for the rest of the lame-duck session.
For Republicans, Wednesday was a rare procedural win after a brutal election. For Democrats, it was a reminder that winning a majority and running one are two different things.
Content created by Conservative Daily News and some content syndicated through CDN is available for re-publication without charge under the Creative Commons license. Visit our syndication page for details and requirements.
