Department of Veterans Affairs – Hillary Clinton Speeches

HFA Statement on Trump’s VA Reforms

On Monday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump laid out his plan for reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs. His plan calls for a mix of government and private care options for our nation’s veterans. Hillary for America advisor, and Army veteran, Bishop Garrison released a statement saying that the plan was the first step to privatizing the VA and would not address the current issues. He argued that Hillary Clinton’s plan to update the VA systems to include modern technology is a better option for veterans and their families. A copy of the statement is below:

“Make no mistake about what Donald Trump just laid out. The policy reforms he proposed would put us irreversibly on a path toward the wholesale privatization of the VA. We can and must fix the VA to ensure it provides top-of-the-line 21st century care for our veterans, and Hillary Clinton has laid out a plan to do exactly that. But Donald Trump’s proposal would gut the VA of the resources needed to provide high-quality, coordinated care. Fully privatizing the VA – the inevitable result of Trump’s proposals – is not a fix at all; it’s an ideological crusade that will only compound the problem. It would deprive our veterans of access to the specialized care they require and deserve and leave them at the mercy of a private health care market that’s ill-suited to handle their needs.”

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News Source: Time

Clinton Hosts Town Halls in Iowa

Yesterday, Hillary Rodham Clinton attended two town hall events in Iowa. The first was held in Coralville, where Clinton hosted an outdoor event on an unseasonably warm day. Clinton opened the event with remarks about several of her policy points including gun control. Clinton then answered a number of questions from those in attendance. She was asked about a variety of topics including the backlog at the Department of Veteran Affairs, tensions with China, and immigration. Clinton then went to Grinnell College in Grinnell. Clinton held a very similar event where, again, she proposed tougher gun regulations and taking the National Rifle Association. She said, “A majority of Americans and a majority of gun owners know we have to make the changes. What stands in the way? One of the most powerful lobbies in our country. The NRA, that intimidates and bullies legislators and governors into doing what they want. That must end.”

Videos from yesterday’s events will be posted when/if available.

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News Source: The New York Times, The Guardian

Clinton Speaks at Grover Cleveland Dinner in NH

On Wednesday, Hillary Rodham Clinton returned to New Hampshire where she began her day by attending a Politics and Eggs breakfast in Manchester. Clinton gave a speech before taking questions from those in attendance. Clinton spoke about a number of topics, but one of her comments has made headlines. She is against completely abolishing the death penalty, something that her Democratic opponents Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley support. She said, “We have a lot of evidence now that the death penalty has been too frequently applied, and too often in a discriminatory way. So I think we have to take a hard look at it. I do not favor abolishing it, however, because I do think there are certain egregious cases that still deserve the consideration of the death penalty, but I’d like to see those be very limited and rare, as opposed to what we’ve seen in most states.” A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

After making a stop at Moulton Farm in Meredith, Clinton attended the Grover Cleveland Dinner in Bartlett for an event hosted by the Democratic Committee for Carroll County. During Clinton’s speech, she spoke about her political platform and plans as president. Clinton has been criticized for comments she made about the issues in Department of Veterans Affairs not being as widespread as everyone thinks. Clinton backpedaled saying that there is a problem, she said, “I will not let the Republicans use the problem as an excuse to privatize the VA.” A video of her speech is below.