On Thursday, a surprise came when some Republican senators reversed course on a bill that would provide healthcare for veterans.
The PACT act sought to provide care for veterans who'd been exposed to toxins or chemical burns from their time on the frontlines. If the bill passed, veterans wouldn't be required to prove their illness was from exposure to toxins to get VA coverage. According to NPR, it's been lauded for being the largest expansion of care in the history of the VA.
The bill had bipartisan support, and passed in the Senate earlier this year. But due to a technical error, it had to be voted on again — and this time, 25 Republican senators who'd previously voted for the measure switched sides.
Veterans and their families and supporters were outraged, and comedian and veterans advocate Jon Stewart spoke out against what he called the "cruelty" of the Senators who switched sides.
On Friday, The Show on KMOX talked about the issue. Listen for more analysis:
