Millions of veterans reside in rural communities after their service, and the majority of rural vets rely on the VA system for their health care needs, a significantly higher number than their urban-dwelling counterparts.

But that didn't phase Speaker McCarthy and the House GOP when they passed one of the sharpest decreases in care and benefits with a 22% cut across the board at the VA. Thiswill devastate the agency that 4.7 million rural veterans rely on everyday.

The GOP budget will:

Cut 81,000 jobs across the VA, reducing the number of available outpatient appointments by 30 million. Veterans will need to postpone – or miss entirely – critical screenings, check-ups, and mental and behavioral health visits.

Roll back funding for telehealth visits, making it difficult for rural patients to see their doctor regularly.

Prolong disability backlogs and wait times for hard-earned essential benefits like life insurance, pensions, and GI Bill services.

Slash funding for the National Cemetery Administration staff who keep our veterans' final resting places up to national shrine standards.

Besides undermining the VA system, the GOP budget cuts other services veterans rely on—like housing vouchers, job training and homeless prevention services. Worse yet, they'll add burdensome red tape to food assistance programs, leaving veterans, especially the elderly, without access to proper basic nutrition.

We believe this budget is a statement of how much Congress values our country's veterans. With that in mind, consider that House Republicans enthusiastically voted 'yes' on a plan that aggressively makes it harder for hungry veterans to get food .

All veterans, and especially those in our rural towns and communities, deserve high quality programs, services, and benefits from an efficient and easy-to-use VA system.

We cannot balance the budget on the backs of veterans who put their lives on the line for our country. They deserve the benefits they were promised and earned – anything less than a fully funded Veterans Administration is simply disgraceful.

J.D. Scholten
Iowa State Representative

A 5th generation Iowan, J.D. Scholten Iowa’s 4th District Representative who ran a creative, grassroots campaign that drew national attention for how Democrats can compete in rural areas. In 2018, his campaign lost by just 3% — fewer than 11K votes— in a district with 70,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats, and where Trump won by 27% in 2016. J.D. Is currently running for Iowa State House District 1 and continues to advocate for Americans in small towns across Iowa.

J.D. Scholten
Iowa State Representative
A 5th generation Iowan, J.D. Scholten Iowa’s 4th District Representative who ran a creative, grassroots campaign that drew national attention for how Democrats can compete in rural areas. In 2018, his campaign lost by just 3% — fewer than 11K votes— in a district with 70,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats, and where Trump won by 27% in 2016. J.D. Is currently running for Iowa State House District 1 and continues to advocate for Americans in small towns across Iowa.

Founded by former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), the One Country Project is dedicated to reopening the dialogue with rural communities, rebuilding trust and respect, and advancing an opportunity agenda for rural Americans. Our mission is to ensure rural America’s priorities and values are heard, understood, well-represented and reflected in policy in Washington.
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