Foe rips Labrador for military vote

In her Eye on Boise column Sunday, Betsy Russell writes:

James Piotrowski, the Democratic challenger to Idaho GOP Rep. Raul Labrador, is criticizing Labrador for his “obstructionist tactics” in Congress, including a 2014 vote against the military budget.

“I’ve been up and down this district for the last 20 years in the work that I do, and I know that people are hurting,” he said. “The obstructionist tactics are slowing down relief that regular Idahoans really need, and they need it now.”

Labrador cast the only “no” vote against the military budget in 2014; the April 30, 2014, vote on passage in the House was 416-1, according to congressional records.

Labrador said it was part of a series of “no” votes on budget bills that he cast on principle that year, because they raised spending over the previous year. He also was critical of the Department of Veterans Affairs. “Spending more money on a failed system has never fixed anything,” said a statement from his office.

The bill was the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2015. It included the appropriations to fund active-duty and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, along with National Guard personnel, and the appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Piotrowski told the Boise Weekly, “Think of that for a moment. A vote like that demonstrates an extreme level of arrogance. The very idea of voting against our troops.”

Asked about the vote, Labrador’s office released this statement:

“Congressman Labrador promised Idahoans he would cut spending. In December 2013, Congress passed the Ryan-Murray budget deal over the congressman’s objections, gutting sequestration and raising spending by $64 billion. Because of that, the congressman opposed every appropriations bill that raised spending over the previous year, keeping his promise to Idahoans. Furthermore, the Veterans Administration has continually failed our veterans with long waits and bureaucratic red tape that hurts our veterans. Spending more money on a failed system has never fixed anything. That’s why the congressman has supported legislation to reform the VA and prioritized helping our constituents in Idaho, especially veterans, to help take care of them. Since being elected in 2010, the congressman has helped thousands of Idaho’s veterans secure benefits and get the medical care they deserve and has always prioritized supporting the individual, not the bureaucracy.” Full Eye on Boise column here (subscription).