Zinke criticizes VA, domestic spending and US foreign policy at veterans event

U.S. Congressman Ryan Zinke critiqued the Biden administration and the Veterans Affairs health care system at a town hall-style discussion hosted by Concerned Veterans for America in Kalispell on Monday night.

“This may be shocking to you, but D.C. is a little bit of a mess,” Zinke said, prompting laughter from the crowd.

The VA is failing at its job when it comes to providing sufficient care for the country’s veterans, he said. It shouldn’t take a formal letter or request from himself or other members of the state’s Congressional delegation for a veteran to receive proper health care, yet that’s the reality, he said.

“We’re gonna have to restructure,” Zinke said regarding the federal agency. “It’s broken.”

The Republican congressman criticized the wait times that many veterans face to receive care, specifically regarding mental health. When you have a heart attack, or another life-threatening ailment, you go to the emergency room and get immediate care, he said. The same should be normal for suicidal ideations and other mental health struggles.

“I want you to be assured it’s fixable,” Zinke said of the agency.

Responding to concerns that seeking help for mental health could lead to the loss of access to firearms — states have increasingly adopted what are known as red flag laws in response to mass shootings — Zinke encouraged them to contact his office to help navigate the issue.

While the event was focused on the VA, Zinke took the opportunity to raise alarms about the country’s international relationships, domestic spending and what he sees as problems in the Navy.

The U.S. lacks allies in the Pacific, Zinke said. As for the ongoing conflict in Europe, Zinke criticized the Biden administration for writing what he called blank checks to Ukraine without a plan.

Zinke has previously spoken in support of arming Ukraine against Russia, which invaded the former Soviet Union republic in February 2022. In an interview with the Hungry Horse News in March of last year, Zinke, then a candidate for the U.S. House, encouraged giving Kyiv drone weaponry and humanitarian aid.

Domestically, there is a lack of accountability and the country’s spending needs to be better managed, especially in regards to the national debt, Zinke said.

“We have a trust issue in this country because trust has been breached,” he said.

Zinke, a former SEAL, also expressed concern about the Navy, calling it a mess. He cited the inclusion of female recruits in the U.S. Marine Corps and a lack of physical accreditation standards as the reasons for his criticism.

Women have been allowed to serve as regular members of the Marine Corps since 1948, but were only allowed to take on combat roles within the branch during the Obama administration. Between 2013 and 2016, the Defense Department rolled back the ban on women serving in combat roles across the military.

Zinke also said that the Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, believes the greatest threat to the country is climate change, which prompted more laughter.

The June 19 event was put on by Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit that bills itself as a veterans’ rights group, at Kalispell’s Red Lion Hotel.

Speakers from the nonprofit drew attention to veterans eligibility for community care, which allows rural veterans to receive care locally with VA benefits. They criticized the VA for removing its Mission Act website, which showcased the entrance and acceptance standards, and encouraged those interested to instead go to VAmissionact.com, which the nonprofit created to take the former website’s place.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.