Steve Scalise says Democrats who object can explain on the floor why they are against veterans on Veterans Day
Steve ScaliseHouse majority leader, quoted by Politico after the vote
Scalise says the bill has already passed, that Democrats who object can explain on the House floor why they are against veterans on Veterans Day, and that he was proud to support it.
Responding to
Republicans called the voice vote while Takano and his staff were away from the podium negotiating changes to the bill, which is why no Democrat asked for a recorded vote.
“If a few of them want to go voice their objections, they can go and make it clear on the House floor why they're against our veterans on Veterans Day ... But I was proud to support it.”
Reporting

Where this statement fits
House passes veterans package by voice vote on Veterans Day; Takano and the VFW say Republicans avoided a recorded vote, and Republicans say Democrats did not ask for one
On Veterans Day, November 11, 2026, the House passed H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, by voice vote, so no member's vote was recorded. The package combines more than 60 veterans bills, including a version of the Major Richard Star Act, and pays for them in part with cuts to some future disability claims, which most Democrats oppose. Mark Takano, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, told Politico that he and his staff were negotiating last-minute changes away from the podium when the vote was called, and that no Democrat asked for a recorded vote "because of the treachery and trickery of the majority." Republicans said Democrats neglected to request a roll call, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise said the bill had already passed. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, which opposed the bill, called its passage cowardly and dishonorable. Committee chairman Mike Bost called the package a historic healthcare and benefits expansion and said he would work with the Senate to pass it before the end of the year.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Politico report of November 11, 2026, published on Yahoo News, on the voice vote that passed the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. It quotes Mark Takano, Steve Scalise, Ted Lieu and the VFW's national commander.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Politico reported that Republicans said Democrats neglected to ask for a roll-call vote, and that Scalise said the bill had already passed and Democrats had no grounds to reverse it.
After the quotation
Scalise said the vote could be reversed only by unanimous consent and that the bill has tremendous support.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the House's passage of the Take Care of America's Veterans Act by voice vote on November 11, 2026, a package paid for in part by cuts to some future disability claims. Scalise stands by the vote, says the bill has already passed and puts the dispute on Democrats, which defends the passage.
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More from this case
Read the full caseTed Lieu calls the Veterans Day vote shameful and particularly unconscionable
“To do this on Veterans Day is particularly unconscionable”Read statement
VFW calls the House passage of the veterans package cowardly and dishonorable
Veterans of Foreign Wars
“It is an insult to America's veterans that Congress would advance legislation threatening their earned benefits on Veterans Day, the very day our nation is supposed to honor their service and sacrifice … Playing political games with veterans’ benefits while avoiding public accountability is cowardly and dishonorable.”Read statement
Mike Bost calls the Take Care of America's Veterans Act a historic healthcare and benefits expansion
“The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act is a historic healthcare and benefits expansion that will positively impact millions of veterans and American families. ... This bill will make a difference in their lives. This bill will help families make ends meet. This bill will uphold the promise.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Steve Scalise says Democrats who object can explain on the floor why they are against veterans on Veterans Day". First published: 2026-11-12. Last updated: 2026-11-12. https://disputeindex.com/events/8688-scalise-says-the-bill-has-already-passed-that