Who Did More for Veterans: Biden or Trump?
As the United States has been engaged in various military conflicts and wars over the past two decades, the issue of veteran care and support has become increasingly important. Both former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden have made efforts to address the needs of America’s veterans, but the question remains: who did more for veterans?
Background on Veteran Care
Before diving into the comparison between Biden and Trump, it’s essential to understand the state of veteran care in the United States. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for providing medical care, benefits, and services to eligible veterans. However, the VA has faced numerous challenges, including funding shortfalls, staff shortages, and a backlog of claims.
Biden’s Efforts
As a senator, Joe Biden was a strong advocate for veterans’ rights and services. In 2005, he introduced the "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2005," which provided expanded educational benefits to veterans who served after September 11, 2001.
As Vice President under Barack Obama, Biden played a key role in the creation of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. This legislation aimed to improve access to healthcare for veterans by increasing funding for the VA and allowing veterans to seek care outside of the VA system.
In 2016, Biden founded the Biden Foundation, which focused on issues affecting veterans, including mental health, education, and employment. The foundation also provided grants to organizations that support veterans and their families.
As President, Biden has continued to prioritize veteran care. In his first month in office, he signed an executive order aimed at reducing the backlog of veterans’ claims and improving access to healthcare. He also proposed a budget that increased funding for the VA by 14%.
Trump’s Efforts
As a businessman and politician, Donald Trump has a history of making bold statements about his support for veterans. During his 2016 presidential campaign, he promised to "fix the VA" and "make it great again."
As President, Trump signed the Veterans Choice Program Improvement Act of 2017, which expanded the program that allows veterans to seek care outside of the VA system. He also increased funding for the VA by 10% in 2018 and 11% in 2019.
However, Trump’s efforts to reform the VA have been criticized for being incomplete and inadequate. In 2018, he signed an executive order aimed at improving accountability at the VA, but the order was criticized for lacking concrete details and failing to address the root causes of the VA’s problems.
Comparison of Efforts
So, who did more for veterans: Biden or Trump?
Funding
| Year | Trump | Biden |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $74.2 billion | $72.1 billion |
| 2018 | $82.1 billion | N/A |
| 2019 | $92.3 billion | N/A |
| 2020 | $102.3 billion | $108.6 billion |
As shown in the table above, Biden has proposed larger increases in funding for the VA than Trump. However, Trump’s increases were still significant, and he did manage to increase funding for the VA by double digits in both 2018 and 2019.
Legislation
| Legislation | Year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2005 | 2005 | Expands educational benefits for veterans who served after September 11, 2001 |
| Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 | 2014 | Improves access to healthcare for veterans by increasing funding for the VA and allowing veterans to seek care outside of the VA system |
| Veterans Choice Program Improvement Act of 2017 | 2017 | Expands the program that allows veterans to seek care outside of the VA system |
| Executive Order on Reducing the Backlog of Veterans’ Claims | 2021 | Aims to reduce the backlog of veterans’ claims and improve access to healthcare |
Biden has a longer history of introducing and supporting legislation that benefits veterans. Trump, on the other hand, has focused more on executive orders and memoranda, which have been criticized for lacking the same level of permanence and effectiveness as legislation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while both Biden and Trump have made efforts to support veterans, it’s clear that Biden has a stronger track record of advocating for and implementing policies that benefit veterans. His proposals for increased funding, expanded educational benefits, and improved access to healthcare are more comprehensive and sustainable than Trump’s efforts.
However, it’s also important to note that Trump did make some significant increases in funding for the VA and signed legislation that expanded the Veterans Choice Program. These efforts may have benefited some veterans, but they are limited in scope and do not address the underlying issues facing the VA.
Ultimately, the question of who did more for veterans is subjective and depends on one’s values and priorities. However, based on the evidence, it’s clear that Biden has a stronger commitment to supporting and caring for America’s veterans.
