Bush Veto Killed Paid Family Leave for America’s Veterans

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/01/08/bush-veto-killed-paid-family-leave-for-americas-veterans/

by Tula Connell, Jan 8, 2008

President Bush can send America’s men and women to war—but he doesn’t think their sacrifice is worth giving them a few days of paid family and medical leave from work.



This from today’s Daily Labor Report (subscription required):

Bush has vetoed defense authorization legislation (H.R. 1585) that included provisions that would have extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to family members of wounded service members and provided whistleblower protections to employees of defense contractors.

Following President Bush’s surprise veto of the defense spending bill on Dec. 28, House leaders are considering both a veto override and a legislative fix to respond to White House objections, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told BNA Jan. 7.

This isn’t the only outrage the Bush administration has perpetrated against military veterans. When it comes to ensuring vets have access to housing, health care and even jobs, the administration has failed to provide the follow-up support they need.

As the Center for American Progress notes today, when a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Dana Perino about the Bush administration’s “most important priorities” for 2008, Perino took the opportunity to bash Congress for not holding hearings on Bush nominees.

Returning veterans clearly aren’t a Bush priority.