Congressman Mike Thompson on War, Veterans, and the Fight for Healthcare | 13th and Park

Send us Fan MailCongressman Mike Thompson joins Anthony Williams on 13th and Park for a wide-ranging conversation recorded at Ballard Studios' remote location in Sacramento, California. A Vietnam War veteran who earned a Purple Heart, Thompson reflects on how his military service shaped every chapter of his life, from dropping out of high school to eventually earning a GED, an undergraduate degree, a high school diploma, and a master's degree, and how combat gave him an unshakeable standard for voting to send American troops into harm's way.Thompson shares the story of uncovering Project Shad, a classified military program in which U.S. service members were unknowingly exposed to deadly chemical agents and then denied the healthcare they had earned. He describes working across party lines with then-Representative Jerry Moran to get those veterans recognized and covered, delivering one of the episode's most powerful lines: "If that's a problem, quit making veterans."The conversation turns to the state of healthcare in America today, with Thompson breaking down what families in his district are telling him about the Affordable Care Act, the impact of HR 1, and what cutting a trillion dollars from the healthcare system means for hospitals, clinics, and everyday people regardless of how they receive coverage. He also discusses his role as chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus, the reauthorization of anti-doping legislation, and his efforts to secure the Congressional Gold Medal for cycling legend Greg LeMond.Thompson closes with a reflection on what still gives him faith in America, pointing not to institutions or legislation, but to the people themselves, and the importance of keeping them in the loop.Chapters0:00 Intro1:27 Assembly Fellows and Shared History3:14 California Governor's Race3:43 Vietnam Service and the Purple Heart6:41 Vietnam Veterans Still in Congress8:07 The Vietnam Wall8:30 Project Shad and Veterans' Healthcare11:09 The Affordable Care Act Today13:22 Congressional Bike Caucus14:23 Greg LeMond and the Gold Medal17:27 Representing Wine Country18:28 Faith in AmericaFollow Us!X: https://x.com/13thandParkIG: https://www.instagram.com/13th_and_park/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/13thandparkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@13th_and_parkFollow Mike ThompsonX: https://x.com/RepMikeThompsonFacebook: https://facebook.com/CongressmanMikeThompsonWebsite: https://mikethompson.house.gov#mikethompson #congressmanmikethompson #vietnamveteran #purpleheart #veteranshealthcare #affordablecareact #californiapolitics #uscongress #projectshad #greglemond #bikecaucus #militaryservice #13thandpark #politicalpodcast #anthonywilliams #publicservice