The U.S. Senate on Tuesday night passed the Honoring Our PACT Act in an 86-11 vote, expanding health care for 3.5 million of America’s veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits in the post 9/11-era.
The bill also covers health benefits for other veterans exposed to chemicals, such as Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, during their military service.
Republicans came under tremendous pressure to shift from veterans who were camped out on the U.S. Capitol steps. Those veterans had a high-profile ally in Jon Stewart, the former “Daily Show” host, whose media blitz sent a number of Republicans scrambling to safe face and vote for the bill.
But 11 GOP senators still voted against the package on final passage. One of those senators was Rand Paul (R-Ky).
Shortly before the Senate voted, Paul railed against the bill, saying that it would put the economy at risk. he also suggested that veterans are lying about having respiratory illnesses so they could receive lifesaving healthcare.
His comments were met with disdain by social media users who proceeded to drag him across the internet. Check some of the reactions below:
get a load of this guy pic.twitter.com/Ula2oV8WXT
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2022
Hey Rand Paul – Defending your decision to deny military veterans health benefits because they ‘could’ve gotten sick anywhere’ is a helluva hill to die on.
You porn permed prick.
— Jo 🌻 (@JoJoFromJerz) August 2, 2022
Rand Paul accused veterans of lying about having respiratory illnesses so they could receive lifesaving healthcare. Rand says that’s the reason he voted against the PACT act. Last week, Ukraine accused Rand of being a Russian propagandist. Two more reasons to vote for @Booker4KY.
— Dash Dobrofsky (@DashDobrofsky) August 2, 2022
So military veterans are sick and we are arguing about not paying for their illnesses because possibly they didn’t get the illness in the line of duty? Am I understanding this? What an argument. The bad outcome of this bill is a veteran gets healthcare covered?
— Brian Wilson (@Brian85Wilson) August 2, 2022
Who votes for this twat?
— Heather Thomas (@HeatherThomasAF) August 2, 2022
Rand Paul just announced that he opposes the PACT Act because veterans cannot prove they got health issues while serving in combat.
He is absolutely shameful, and has made a mockery of the office he occupies. I will defeat him.
— Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) August 2, 2022
He is citing the CDC now?
— Ryan Marino MD (@RyanMarino) August 2, 2022
Russian stooge https://t.co/9WDFpbKXIX
— Dr. Ohm 🇺🇲🌊🇺🇦 (@HereToRebuild) August 2, 2022
.@RandPaul you are no patriot. – Just a privileged kid who never served in our military. It’s no wonder #Kentucky is on the bottom.
— LC #BanAssaultWeaponsNow (@lc1_summit) August 2, 2022
Pretending he’s a real doctor again isn’t that cute. How the hell does Kentucky keep sending him back? And yes I know the irony coming from a Missourian. Everyone please stay safe. 🤦♀️🆘⚖️🇺🇸
— Amanda Sides, Once-An-RN (@AmandaMSidesRN1) August 3, 2022
Like all Republican representatives, "Rand Paul… opposes health care for veterans" and all the rest of us, while we pay for all his and his family's medical care. 🇺🇸🤑
— #MMT: MoralMoneyTime (@samvega) August 3, 2022
Jeez Rand just say it. Unless they are rich veterans they don't count. Come on GOP say it with me now "ONLY THE RICH COUNT" feel better now? Had to be good to get that out. You can sleep better in the beefy arms of your christian little secret.
— Ben Varley (@Ben_Varley) August 3, 2022
What a horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, awful, terrible, horrible human being.
— Treepunch20xx (@Treepunch20xx) August 2, 2022
