Sen. Tom Coburn Holding Up Key Veterans Care Legislation

by: Richard Allen Smith

Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 15:47:44 PM EST

Thirteen major military and veterans groups have joined forces to try to force one senator - Republican Tom Coburn of Oklahoma - to release a hold that he has placed on a major veterans benefits bill.

Coburn has been identified by Senate aides as the lawmaker preventing consideration of S 1963, the Veterans' Caregiver and Omnibus Health Benefits Act of 2009, by using an informal but legal practice of putting a hold on a bill.

Coburn's staff did not respond to questions, but Senate aides said the first-term senator has expressed concern about creating new and unfunded benefits and wants the opportunity to amend the measure.
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"It is essential that Congress act on this comprehensive measure without further delay," the letter reads. "Thousands of disabled veterans with serious medical conditions and the family members who care for them are counting on this additional support."

The letter says passing the bill by Veterans Day would be a "fitting way" to honor veterans.

Those signing the letter include the nation's major veterans groups - The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AmVets, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Blinded Veterans Association, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Jewish War Veterans, plus the Military Officers Association of America, National Military Family Association and Wounded Warrior Project.

Steve Robertson, legislative director for The American Legion, said delaying the bill hurts families caring for severely wounded combat veterans who would benefit from the stipends, health care, counseling and respite care that would be provided to caregivers in the bill.

This bill isn't out of the ordinary. Traditionally, bills funding benefits are considered separately from bills authorizing the benefits. The institutional norms of the chamber have not, however, prevented Coburn from inflicting harm upon our nation's Veterans.

A constituent of Sen. Coburn, Iraq War Veteran and VoteVets.org Oklahoma State Captain Miranda Norman had this to say about her Senator's deplorable behavior:

By blocking this bill Sen. Coburn is denying veterans a myriad of benefits and services. One of these benefits is caregiver assistance to our most wounded veterans. Severely injured veterans often need assistance to do some of the smallest tasks, and generally family members often putting quite the strain on those family members do that assistance. This bill will provide much needed relief for those caregivers by allowing for family caregiver assistance and lodging and food assistance for attending caregivers.

Sen. Coburn is blocking some benefits specifically for women veterans. Title II of this bill increases funding for such issues as mental health care for women who suffered military sexual trauma, women's health care needs and medical services for newborn children. Other aid in the bill concerns rural veteran health care issues, mental health care matters and programs to help ease the burden of veteran homelessness.

Now is not the time to play petty political games with our veterans.  What Senator Coburn is doing is shameful, and he deserves to know that those of us who are veterans and support veterans will not stand for it.

Additionally, National Security Network made this statement in a report today:

For years, conservatives have claimed the mantle of being more pro-military, pro-veterans than progressives. But their actions and record paint a different picture. From the Bush administration neglect of and cuts to veterans' health-culminating in the exposed tragedies at Walter Reed Hospital-to the underfunding and resourcing of our troops in the battlefield, it's clear that for years veteran and troop well-being wasn't a high priority for conservatives in power.  Today, even as President Obama is trying fix these failures, conservatives are still preventing our nation's veterans and their families from getting the support and care they need

There is no legitimate excuse Tom Coburn can make for holding up legislation to help Veterans and wounded warriors in need of care.  He is simply playing politics with our nation's heroes.  

VoteVets.org has created a petition to tell Senator Coburn to stop blocking Veterans' Aid. You can sign it here.