House Republican Admits: ‘I Can’t Guarantee’ GOP Cuts Won’t Hurt Veterans
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) said it is possible that the Republicans’ budget proposal will cut veterans’ care and benefits.
Last week, the House narrowly passed the spending blueprint 217-215. If enacted into law, the measure will cut $4.5 trillion in taxes and $1.5 trillion in spending over the next 10 years. The measure comes as President Donald Trump and White House adviser Elon Musk have made sweeping cuts to staff at several departments in the name of “efficiency.” Among the jobs cut were more than 1,400 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
On Monday’s CNN News Central, Brianna Keilar asked Murphy, who serves on the Veterans Affairs Committee, if he has heard from voters regarding the cuts. The lawmaker responded by saying the department had “over-hired”
“Again, the word that we’re finding, really, in the lexicon today is ‘accountability,'” he said. “And we really need to get the nation’s finances under control. Everybody is, of course, up in arms because they don’t want their issue or their particular agency dealt with. But this is a national emergency to try to get our finances under control.”
Keilar pressed her guest on whether he has heard from constituents over the issue, and Murphy said he had. The host then asked whether benefits would be cut for veterans.
“Can you guarantee that veterans’ benefits and care will not be affected by these cuts?” she asked.
“No, I can’t guarantee anything,” Murphy replied. “But the whole purpose, again, of restructuring is to make sure that that agency is efficient. And look, I care for our veterans. One out of 10 constituents of mine are veterans. It’s a real issue in eastern North Carolina. But the real issue is also when somebody can’t get benefits and they’re put off their doctor’s appointments for eight or 10 months when they can’t get care. That is where an agency has failed. We’re trying to get an agency that actually works for the people that are supposed to be taken care of.”
Watch above via CNN.
