Catstipation: Legislators Take Action To Stop Gruesome Cat Experiments At VA
Our friends at the White Coat Waste project (WCW) are at it again hitting back against VA waste of taxpayer dollars on animal experiments.
But instead of using op-ed’s and other pressure points in DC, WCW is using billboards to drive home taxpayer accountability.
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Over the years, WCW has helped bring attention to the use of taxpayer dollars to experiment on animals when appropriate substitutes can be found.
Back in September, WCW and its team nonprofit tax activists threw a little kitty litter in the eyes of the VA Secretary and personnel at the Cleveland VAMC.
There, researchers are experimenting on cats. In a video exposé, it was revealed that Cleveland VA buys six-month-old healthy cats. Those cats are then experimented on with implanted electrodes. The electrodes remotely simulate bladders or colons, inserts fake feces into them, and severs some of their spinal cords then killing and dissecting some.
Including cat experiments, WCW says VA has wasted over $9 million in taxpayer dollars on:
- buying healthy and “friendly” kittens
- implanting devices into their brains, bladders, and colons
- severing their spines
- pushing fake poop into their anuses
- and then killing and dissecting them.
Was it money well spent?
Cat experiments are not limited to Cleveland VA.
The Los Angeles VA has spent $5 million in taxpayer dollars on two separate e sleep experiments (grant #1 & #2). These involve drilling into cats’ skulls and implanting electrodes into their brains, and then killing and dissecting the cats.
In August 2020, WCW filed a federal lawsuit against the LA VA for failing to provide documents about ongoing cat experiments.
Lawmakers Speak Out
After the kitty WCW campaign, a coalition of 30 bipartisan members of Congress that includes 7 military veterans sent a letter to VA Secretary Wilkie expressing their “grave concerns about painful and outdated cat testing at the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
Statement from Justin Goodman, vice president of advocacy and public policy, White Coat Waste Project
“Ohioans have a right to know that millions of their hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted on cruel and unnecessary kitten constipation experiments at the Cleveland VA, an issue with particular urgency as COVID-19 ravages veterans’ health and strains the VA’s limited resources. It’s time to cut the crap and send this taxpayer-funded kitten catastrophe to the litterbox where it belongs.”
Statement from Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV)
“The VA’s invasive and deadly cat experiments are sickening. You don’t have to be a cat owner like I am to recognize that. I’m proud that the House recently passed the language I drafted with Army veteran Congressman Mast to eliminate taxpayer funding for the VA’s cruel and unnecessary dog testing. I’ll continue to work to end these similarly abusive tests on cats and redirect VA resources to humane research tools that will help improve veterans’ lives.”
Statement from Army veteran Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
“The VA’s continued use of taxpayer dollars to conduct painful and invasive experiments on cats is unacceptable. These tests are unnecessary and they must come to an end. It’s time we got some answers!”
The agency apparently did not take swift enough action.
New Legislation
Earlier this December, Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Army veteran Brian Mast (R-FL) introduced the Cat Abuse in Testing Stops (CATS) Act to end wasteful spending on cat and kitten experiments that cause significant pain or distress, also called CATS Act of 2020.
The Bill, HR 8867, seeks to end VA’s use of cats in experiments. “In carrying out research, the Secretary may not purchase, breed, transport, house, feed, maintain, dispose of, or experiment on cats as part of the conduct of any study that causes significant pain or distress.”
While the Bill does not prohibit all cat experiments, it will significantly curb the current practice.
Statement from Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)
“The VA’s deadly and outdated cat experiments are sickening. You don’t have to be a cat owner like I am to recognize that. I’m proud to introduce the CATS Act with Congressman Brian Mast, an Army veteran, to stop the VA’s cruel and unnecessary tests on cats so that these resources can be redirected to modern and humane research that will improve veterans’ lives.”
Statement from Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
“The VA’s continued use of taxpayer dollars to conduct painful and wasteful experiments on cats and kittens is unacceptable. These tests are barbaric, unnecessary and do nothing to actually help veterans. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Rep. Titus to bring them to an end once and for all.”
Statement from Anthony Bellotti, president and founder of taxpayer watchdog group White Coat Waste Project
“The CATS Act will send the VA’s wasteful taxpayer-funded kitten catastrophe to the litterbox where it belongs. Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for the VA to buy healthy and friendly kittens, maim them, drill into their skulls and videotape their abuse in archaic experiments. We applaud Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV), Brian Mast (R-FL) and their colleagues on both sides of the aisle for introducing the CATS Act to cut the VA’s wasteful cat experiments that are opposed by most taxpayers and squander precious VA money, space, staff, and time.”
Earlier VA Response On VA Animal Experiments
In late August, VA responded to one of my FOIA requests about canine research from 2017. Yes, it took them 3 years to respond.
I asked VA a series of questions at the time about their dog experiments including, “What is the business case for VA to continue research on canines since 2015?”
VA responded, “Dog research continues to be critical to VA’s mission to serve Veterans with the best possible therapies and treatments.”
In all fairness, VA provided a lengthy explanation about its canine experiments that I will try to publish at a later date.
Thoughts?
In 2017, I wrote a critical op-ed for The Hill calling for greater accountability for VA when conducting dog experimentation. The practice was thought to have stopped at least under former Secretary David Shulkin.
The Hill: VA Canine Research Helps Foreign-based Interests, Not Disabled Veterans
However, the win was short lived. Bureaucrats within the agency and private sector partners apparently moved forward with more experimentation after Shulkin was no longer head of the agency.
Ultimately, Congress acted on the canine experiments over the summer by restricting VA’s ability to fund such experiments.
SEE: House Votes To Totally Defund Dog Experiments
How will the next administration handle it?
Remember when…
Doctors were the providers/deciders of medical care/treatment and not the insurance companies?
Remember when…
Teachers taught important/useful life skills that would enhance our ability to function as educated beings in the real world?
Throughout my elementary years, I was taught Geography and World Culture, an assortment of the Sciences, introduced to literature that exercised comprehension and interpretation skills, Civics and Current Events projects, and far more education than I can immediately recall, and all of that before reaching 7th grade. In the next years there were the electives, the choices of which were only those that developed life skills. In addition to the basic core classes there was also a required full year each of Am. History and Am. Government. One of the earliest electives I enjoyed was simply titled “Speech” but, this was a comprehensive year of public speaking nuances that included exercising debate skills. All of that education was within the same mid-western, suburban middle-class public school system that existed when girls were only allowed to wear skirts/dresses to school.
Why do I bring all of this up?
One of the important features of debate, is to listen to other points of view and ponder those views, to maybe enhance ones’ own perspective on the given topic. This past three months has caused me to wander through many other websites and gain a broader perspective of what other people are expressing on myriad topics, not specifically Veteran related. With that said, I have found an assortment of grazers, among some few genuinely thought provoking videos/articles and their trove of comments outside of, as cj often called it, “Ben’s world”.
My skeptical eyebrow has gotten an exceptional workout. especially since the election, surely not withstanding all of the goings on beforehand. In recent days the variety of opinions offered from a few of those sites by some “armchair potus” folks that never even attempted to throw their hat into the ring, yet “know” all things that the CIC should be doing, is IMO astounding. Additionally, most of those folks also want desperately, to be “clued in” on every decision DJT might consider.
Whatever POTUS decides to do with the minutia of intel he is privy to, whether it turns out to be right, wrong, or indifferent, is still solely his choice to make through 11:59:59 of January 20, 2021, and history will sort it all out eventually.
This is a well done 30m interview explaining the insidious affects the CCP inflicts on Chinese culture and formerly free societies/countries it has infested. “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcBQ148KPsg”
Yes, yes, and yes.
Wishing all Veterans a Happy and Prosperous 2021! Mine will certainly be . . .
The Lawsuit That Could End Covid-1984 with Dr. Pam Popper
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CHRl_h8vMw”
Congress concerned about cats???? Well, what about abortions of soon to be born babies? And the selling of baby body parts? Oh yes, remember, the people of China eat cats and dogs for food. I believe the Congress and the Senate are hypocritical. How can you stand for the life of a cat and not stand for the life of a human being? You crunch the VA leadership; but, how about China? How can Congress scream about taxpayer money while you have your hands held out and while you send millions of dollars for porkish items to foreign countries? Priorities are in the wrong place. Best.
Can we please have a better year in 2021 than 2020? It seems that the federal government has forgotten they work to serve the people? In the National Defense Authorization Act Bill, how does changing names of military bases honestly help active duty military members? Spending the money to do this is also a waste. Military members need greater assistance in other areas than changing names of bases? They need direct assistance. Also, Section 230 of this bill, media needs to be held accountable. Too much junk in the bills. President Trump is right to veto it. The Congress and the Senate add in too much crap instead of focusing on the necessary issues. Do you know what I witness daily? I will provide an example to explain. A physician 20+ years ago setting up a private practice would take 5 steps and a lot less money. Today, a physician takes 50 million steps and a lot more money to set up a practice. My point is the federal government is too focused on status, too many formalities, and too much dressing up instead of getting to the point to deliver the deliverables. The American people are constantly thrown under the bus. This is why the current president was elected. I know people who do not bother to vote because of how Washington DC is so disconnected from the people. It does not do any good. They lie to get elected and they do not deliver promises at all. This is what I mean that the federal government has forgotten the purpose for why of their existence. Though, I believe they forgot the why since the Reagan Administration.
Happy New Year 🎉 everyone. Glad to hear from you Benjamin.
I do not believe 2021 is going to be an about-face administration at all. Many will surely find out soon. This current omnibus bill is evidence of what is coming down the pike. More collapse on the way. Cats are far from any priority. Though, I agree taxpayer money should not be spent on issues that do not deliver to veterans or to any health solutions. Finally, though, since when is the Congress and many in the Senate concerned about how money is spent? Look at the pork in this omnibus bill that the majority of the Republicans signed off on and all Democrats as well. There were only 7 Republican Senators who voted NO on this omnibus bill. This current omnibus bill is bad for the country and the people period regardless if President Trump signs the bill or if he does not sign the bill.
SAD. Here is what the federal government thinks of the American citizens and this country.
Is catstipation.org a safe and legitimate site
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and to all a great night!
I had to think awhile on posting today.
It’s good to see Ben posting again and I hope he, and everyone, will find 2021 to be an about face to this year!
I found this earlier today, “https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/aa52f137d7e9680739df12cf6248ce5135597661579a0a1724a30b5728e9a60f.jpg?w=600&h=640”, and in its simplicity I find it screaming loud and clear.
Strategy.
Frequent readers of Ben’s page know that I’ve mentioned that before.
You won’t be arrested for shoplifting, until you leave the store.
5D chess, anyone?
It looks we will have the lowest priority
for COVID-19 vaccine shots. Gotta take care of our brave Politicians first.
Lol
So the veteran affairs think people that served our nation have the same function of a nervous system of a cat to run model experiments .?
I though in biology testing there was a rank ..first comes rat then comes the cat then comes along the monkey in the rack
Set your syringes bet your leg hinges that a veteran will take the experimental Animal test binges .
va so bad at this point they switch there name to veterans to veterinarian affairs so to speak, just to jump the 2 million dollar ship of bogus red herrings And mal competence third party marketers that think there liberal scientist are great Candidates to experiment with people that once protect the country.
So va implants a probe in my brain telling me when to take a dump ,when to sit down ,when to eat and when to talk just to keep my service connected Benefits .Yea the developing idea of this plan is not going to work with oef oei veterans they will just dismantle the VA the hard way. I really think joe biden thinks this is a wonderful plan .
Ray Kurzweil: Humans will be hybrids by 2030
“https://money.cnn.com/2015/06/03/technology/ray-kurzweil-predictions/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1PmFKpaz3ZiKNtqaiMA-P9YOTiU32wjPnz3MgBJB8nioE2zxZhinCawaI”
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours!
thant God for HR8867 amd Mast and Titus …..
the VA are Devils!!! Devils!!!!
THANKS FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING WITH KEEPING VETS UPDATED ON INFORMATION! PLEASE HAVE A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A MERRY NEW YEAR! GOD BLESS!
Here’s something new from *”military.com”*
*”https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/12/22/heavily-criticized-veterans-home-sued-over-covid-outbreak.html”*