Melbourne, Australia—Michael Ramos, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and former Congressional staffer, expressed his thoughts on the recent online news posting provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs – something the Democratic members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee quickly corrected. Michael is an Illinois UOCAVA voter, resident of Australia, and current Chair of the Democrats Abroad Global Veterans and Military Families (VMF) Caucus.
“This Administration continues to display acts of inappropriateness, and they’ve done so yet again with the VA’s recent news post indicating the current shutdown of the federal government is ‘due to Democrats’. For a government department to add a political slant into an official press release or other public communication is not only absurd, it’s likely unlawful and a blatant violation of the Hatch Act. Furthermore, the VA may pull the wool over some voters’ eyes, but the VMF Caucus, those in Democrats Abroad, and millions of other Americans living abroad know full well who’s at fault for the government shutdown – it’s the GOP-led Congress and White House—full stop.
With the closing of the only overseas-based VA Regional Office located in Manila, the Philippines, the inexcusable mass firings of VA workers, the move to privatize VA Health Care, the inappropriateness of using government resources to insert political opinions, and so much more, the VMF Caucus believes this is the most anti-veteran Administration in decades, and continues to call for Secretary Collins’ immediate resignation.”
U.S. citizens living abroad, both civilian and military, are highly encouraged to check your voter registration status and request your ballot for any upcoming elections in your home voting state that you are eligible to vote in.
The VMF Caucus, proudly consisting of veterans, service members, military family members, Department of Defense civilians, and strong allies of veterans and military family causes, has a membership of over 1,400 members located in dozens of countries.
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