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Arkansas House Delegation to McDonough: The Politicization of the VA is Inappropriate

Jun 14, 2024
Press
Veterans' Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sara Robertson, Crawford

Brooke Nethercott, Hill

Sarah Henderson, Westerman

Olivia Tripodi, Womack

Arkansas House Delegation to McDonough: The Politicization of the VA is Inappropriate

6/14/2024

Washington, D.C. — Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-01), French Hill (AR-02), Steve Womack (AR-03), and Bruce Westerman (AR-04) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough voicing concern for the encouragement of VA facilities to display Pride flags at the taxpayers’ expense. The letter calls on McDonough to immediately remove any flag other than the American flag, flag of the VA, state flags, and the POW-MIA recognition flag from VA facilities.

In part, the lawmakers wrote:

“The Pride flag is once again flying over the VA facility in Little Rock, and our constituents and veterans across Arkansas have called on us to inquire about why the VA is expressing a clear political leaning. Your continuation of this policy demonstrates the continued disregard for the opinions of veterans you showed last year. The men and women who have served our country deserve to enter a facility that is free from discrimination and political posturing, and we should strive to provide them with an apolitical VA when they seek the care, benefits, and services they have earned.”

Click here for the full letter.

BACKGROUND:

  • On June 6, 2023, the Arkansas House Delegation joined 27 House Republican colleagues in a letter to Secretary McDonough voicing serious concern regarding the display of Pride flags at VA facilities.
  • The VA replied with this interim response, containing a clear lack of proof-reading and disregard for the original inquiry.
  • On June 5, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8580, the bipartisan Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025. Section 257 of the bill would prohibit the use of taxpayer funds to display special interest flags, such as the Pride flag, over VA facilities.

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