Boebert explained why he did not vote for veterans’ medical benefits

Calvarese probed Boebert over his controversial vote against the PACT Act, which provides health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances.

In August 2022, both houses of Congress passed the bill with overwhelming support, and President Joe Biden signed it into law.

The bill extended medical coverage to about 3.5 million former soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where incinerators were used to dispose of garbage, sewage and medical waste. Exposure to these toxins has been linked to respiratory problems and cancer.

Calvarese noted Boebert’s no vote on the bill, saying, “I think if you’re going to be America first, you can’t put veterans last.”

“I just want to point out your vote that you voted against caring for veterans exposed to cancer-causing toxins and wartime burn pits,” Calvarese added.

Boebert defended his vote by saying he refused to vote “for something that I had 22 hours to read, which is over 2,000 pages.”

The Denver Post reported that Boebert added that she was not willing to spend “a billion dollars forever because we couldn’t get some of the right words into the legislation.”

During their debate, Calvarese and Boebert also discussed topics such as the national debt and the minimum wage, according to The Denver Post.

Boebert representatives did not immediately respond to an after-hours request for comment from Business Insider.