Merkley releases new ad touting work with veterans

U.S Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) released a new campaign ad Monday touting the work he did for veterans' health care at the state level.

The ad comes after Merkley’s campaign rival, U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton), recently received an “A” on his legislative report card for veterans affairs from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans for America. Merkley argued that the work done at the federal level was not enough, which is why he worked in the state House to fill the health care needs of soldiers returning from war.

“We cut taxes and expanded health care for Oregon veterans, because they earned it,” Merkley says in the ad.

The ad also accuses Congress of dropping the ball at the federal level, saying that while funding for the war has remained strong, funding for veterans once they return home has not seemed as high of a priority.

Smith’s campaign was quick to point out that the incumbent senator worked to increase funding by $276 billion for the Department of Veteran Affairs over the past 12 years. He also worked to increase funding for veterans' mental health care by $29 million. But, for the vets featured in Merkley's ad at least, that wasn’t enough.

“Congress has failed to keep its promises to our veterans,” a group of vets say in the ad. "They find the billions to keep funding the war in Iraq. But we struggle to afford our medicines. Or wait too long to see a doctor.”

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