MSNBC Democratic Debate: Live Coverage

As Sanders said, he has been active on veterans issues during his congressional career and until recently chaired the Senate’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. It isn’t surprising he’s been so active on the issue: According to data from The Guardian, Vermont has lost more soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, per capita, than any other state.

There’s been a little talk in this debate about care for veterans. And while there hasn’t been a lot of talk about the Republican presidential candidates, veterans affairs is a spot of fundamental difference with the GOP candidates that either Sanders or Clinton could have pointed to. Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush support plans to to privatize elements of VA care.

Clinton and Sanders oppose privatizing the V.A. So did nearly two-thirds of veterans polled in November by the Vet Voice Foundation.