Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) defended her controversial vote against the bipartisan “Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act,” which aimed to expand health benefits for veterans, by arguing that she didn’t want to commit to spending “$600 billion forever.”
In a heated general election debate against her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese, Boebert was pressed to justify her stance on the landmark legislation that extended benefits to millions of veterans affected by toxic exposures during their service.
Calvarese challenged Boebert’s decision, questioning her commitment to veterans. “If you’re going to prioritize America first, you can’t put veterans last,” Calvarese said, referring to Boebert’s vote against the bill.
Boebert responded by saying, “When it comes to our veterans, I have always put them first. But I can’t support massive bills like this one, which I had only 22 hours to read and was over 2,000 pages long.”
The PACT Act, passed by the House and Senate in July 2022 and signed into law by President Biden, was supported by a majority of lawmakers but faced opposition from 88 House Republicans, including Boebert. The legislation aimed to expand VA health care eligibility and address presumptions for illnesses related to burn pits and toxic exposures.
Boebert explained that her vote against the PACT Act was due to concerns over its $400 billion in mandatory spending, which would be exempt from annual appropriations review. She argued that while she supported the intention to help veterans, she couldn’t back the bill in its current form and pushed for amendments to make it more suitable.
The debate highlighted Boebert’s complex position on veterans’ issues, revealing the tensions between fiscal responsibility and legislative support for military personnel.The Hill has reached out to Boebert’s campaign for further comment.
