Congressman Meehan: 'Cantor's Loss Is A Signal That Americans No Longer Feel They Have A Voice In Washington'
By Chris Stigall
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Chris Stigall spoke with Congressman Pat Meehan, from Pennsylvania's 7th District on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT about the upset of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to a primary challenger and about a bill he is sponsoring to get veterans better access to health care.
Meehan said Cantor was in line with the rest of Congressional Republicans in their opposition to President Obama and his loss is more of a signal that Americans all over the country no longer feel they have a voice in Washington.
"I think that the party has been taking a number of strong positions against this administration, the irresponsible spending policies and their foreign policy. In fact, in many ways Eric Cantor was a strong voice for a number of the important issues. He's been a fighter for a number of strong conservative positions, as I think we have been in the House."
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He also suggested that Cantor may step down from his post of House Majority Leader before the end of his term in January.
"My suspicion is Eric, himself, will probably step down. You will then see a number of our colleagues and there's good colleagues from all sides. We have a strong group, the Republican Study Committee, which is primarily the conservative group, if they rally around a particular individual; they probably have the votes to at least put somebody high in leadership and I think there's a readiness and willingness for the entire conference to accept the idea that we would have a strong conservative voice in the leadership."
Meehan also laid out the goal of Veterans Access to Care Act, which he is co-sponsoring, after it was revealed that veterans were being forced to wait months to receive healthcare services in the VA system.
"What it does correct is if any veteran is waiting for more than the fourteen days that were promised for an appointment with the VA and they don't get it, then they'll be able to go to a private healthcare provider, go to another hospital system, and they will be serviced at the expense of the VA."