EDITOR:

Can a political party and individual elected officials lose all sense of purpose and honor for veteran?

I ask that because on July 27 the Senate voted on a health care bill to ensure that veterans exposed to toxic substances while serving our country have access to medical evaluation and treatment. This bill was a specific bill that was only for the care and medical treatment of our veterans. This seems to me this was a “no brainer” for anyone with a sense of compassion and human decency. The bill would go to the president and become law if passed. The bill was Senate Bill 3373. The bill was objected to by some Republican senators, so required 60 votes to pass. I would have believed that there was more than 10 Republican senators who had enough compassion for physically ill veterans to supports this bill but there was not. The vote was 55 yes — all but one of the Democratic senators plus seven Republicans — to 42 no, all Republicans — including Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin — except for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who voted no for procedural reasons so it could be brought back.

The answer to my question is YES. Until the Republican Party finds the courage to truly care for the country and not power at any cost and allow this kind of vote by its members to continue, they are not fit to serve in Congress.

Gilbert Engel

Niagara, Wis.