Screwing Over The Vets

Yep. The Democrats did it again. Think they're in it for the little guy? Newp. Think they are thinking of your best interests at heart? Newp, a BIG newp.

Medical device tax started - meaning, wheelchairs, prosthetics, pacemakers, from surgical instruments to bedpans, including tampons. That's a medical device? They're getting desperate to fund these entitlements they are handing out like Halloween candy.

Back to my point - there was an amendment offered to exempt veterans from these taxes, on their medical devices. Guess what. Only 5 Democrats voted for it. Check the list of Senators on the list below...if it's one of yours, CONTACT THEM! Their telephone number/fax number in Washington DC follows their name. Check their website for their local office phone numbers/fax numbers. Fax ALL their offices >:)

From Americans for Tax Reform:

The health care overhaul passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year contains a new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs, pacemakers, and wheelchairs. This tax, which its proponents claim will raise $20 billion over the next ten years, contains no exemption for the nation’s 22 million veterans. In fact, Senate Democrats specifically refused to exempt veterans from the tax.

On March 24 2010, Senate Democrats rejected an amendment offered by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to the healthcare bill. This amendment (SA 3644) would have prevented the medical device tax from hitting veterans covered by the Veterans Healthcare Program or TRICARE for Life. This amendment was rejected by a vote of 44-54. All but five Democrat senators voted in favor of retaining the tax for veterans.

The medical device tax was one of over twenty new or higher taxes in President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul. This permanent new tax is being collected now.

“On March 24, Senate Democrats had the opportunity to exempt our veterans from Obamacare’s new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs. But 54 Democrats voted against the measure. They chose to side with the tax-and-spend crowd in Washington over our wounded warriors,”said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “This is one of the many reasons Harry Reid and the Democrats did not want Americans to read the 2,500 page health care bill before it was passed.”

In addition to those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports the following number of veterans from America’s wars:

World War II: 2,079,000

Korean War: 2,507,000

Vietnam War: 7,569,000

Desert Shield/Storm: 2,254,000

The following senators voted for the tax:

(Why am I not surprised at some of these names on there? How can they say they are for the military personnel, and vote against it?)

Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Telephone: (202) 224-6361
Fax: (202) 224-2126

Max Baucus (D-MT)
(202) 224-2651 (Office)
(202) 224-9412 (Fax)

Evan Bayh (D-IN)
(202) 224-5623
(202) 228-1377 fax

Mark Begich (D-AK)
T: (202)224-3004
F: (202)224-2354

Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Phone: (202) 224-5852
Fax: (202) 228-5036

Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
(202) 224-5521
TDD: (202) 224-1792
Tollfree (in NM): 1-800-443-8658

Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
T:(202) 224-3553 (no fax.. guess she doesn't really want to hear about it)

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
p (202) 224-2315
f (202) 228-6321

Roland Burris (D-IL)
Phone: 202-224-2854
Fax: 202-228-3333

Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
202-224-3441
202-228-0514 - FAX
202-224-8273 - TDD

Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Phone: 202-224-4524
Fax: 202-224-1651

Tom Carper (D-DE)
Phone: (202) 224-2441
Fax: (202) 228-2190

Bob Casey (D-PA)
Phone: (202) 224-6324
Toll Free: (866) 802-2833
Fax: (202) 228-0604

Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Fax: (202) 224-7776

Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Tel: (202) 224-2823 | Fax: (202) 224-1083

Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Phone (202) 224-2551
Fax (202) 224-1193

Richard Durbin (D-IL)
(202) 224-2152 - ph
(202) 228-0400 - fx

Russ Feingold (D-WI)
202/224-5323

Diane Feinstein (D-CA)
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
TTY/TDD: (202) 224-2501

Al Franken (D-MN)
(202) 224-5641

Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Tel. (202) 224-4451
Fax (202) 228-0282

Tom Harkin (D-IA)
# Phone: 202-224-3254
# Fax: 202-224-9369

Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Phone: 202-224-3934
Fax: 202-224-6747

Tim Johnson (D-SD)
p. (202) 224-5842
f. (202) 228-5765

Edward Kaufman (D-DE)
tel: (202) 224-5042
fax: (202) 228-3075

John Kerry (D-MA)
(202) 224-2742

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Main Line: 202-224-3244
Main Fax: 202-228-2186
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

Herb Kohl (D-WI)
(202) 224-5653
Fax: (202) 224-9787

Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Telephone: (202) 224-5824
Fax: (202) 224-9735

Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Phone: (202) 224-3224
TTY: (202) 224-2087
Fax: (202) 228-4054

Pat Leahy (D-VT)
(202) 224-4242

Carl Levin (D-MI)
Phone (202) 224-6221
Fax (202) 224-1388

Joe Lieberman (ID-CT)
202.224.4041 (Voice)
202.224.9750 (Fax)

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
(202) 224-4843
Fax (202) 228-1371

Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Phone 202-224-6154
Fax 202-228-6326

Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
202.224.4744

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Telephone: (202) 224-3753
Fax: (202) 228-3997

Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Phone: (202) 224-4654
Fax: (202) 224-8858

Patty Murray (D-WA)
Phone: (202) 224-2621
Fax: (202) 224-0238
Toll Free: (866) 481-9186

Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Phone: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183

Mark Pryor (D-AR)
p: (202) 224-2353
f: (202) 228-0908
Toll Free from AR
p: (877) 259-9602

Jack Reed (D-RI)
Tel: (202) 224-4642
Fax: (202) 224-4680


Harry Reid (D-NV)
Phone: 202-224-3542
Fax: 202-224-7327
Toll Free for Nevadans:
1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343)

Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
(202) 224-6472
(202) 224-7665 Main Fax
(202) 228-1610 Scheduling Fax

Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Phone:(202) 224-5141
Fax: (202) 228-0776

Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Phone: 202-224-6542
Fax: 202-228-3027
TTD: 202-224-0420

Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Ph: (202) 224-2841
TTY: (202) 224-4049
Fax: (202) 228-3194

Arlen Specter (D-PA)
Tel: 202-224-4254

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Phone: (202) 224-4822
e-mail: senator@stabenow.senate.gov

Mark Udall (D-CO)
P: 202-224-5941
F: 202-224-6471
Coloradans, call toll-free:
877-7-MUDALL

Tom Udall (D-NM)
(202) 224-6621

Mark Warner (D-VA)
TOLL FREE: 1-877-676-2759 [VA residents only]
Phone: 202-224-2023
Fax: 202-224-6295

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
202-224-2921 phone
202-228-6362 fax

Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Fax: (202) 228-2717