Veterans ask Sen. Coburn to drop hold on bill

I thought a previous version of this story indicated an objection of repubs was the authors' refusal to allow any riders to be attached to the bill. Riders are generally the source of pork--bought votes, if you will.

my brain may be small but it's twice as big as yours, lanny lemming! ha ha ha!

Keep wondering Buzzardbreath, that should occupy your little bitty, brain.

yeah, i wonder what garbage the dems have attached to this bill??? sneaky bastards.

Dr. No strikes again...

Ditto, Jerry. At this point, I think Tom Coburn is the only rational human in DC.

Coburn is a bad doctor and a worse US Senator. He would be the worst if not for howdy doody Jim Inhofe.
Oklahoma can really pick losers.

Veterans are "Piggies"??

Coburn is another embarrassment for the State of Oklahoma. He is frick and Inhofe is frack. God help us if those are the best we can elect to represent Oklahomans and our brave veterans.

get 'em Senator Coburn.although,the little piggies are hungry.

As a veteran of the Marine Corps I trust the Marine Times more than Coburn. Here is their piece on the fella that mistook the hypocrit oath for the Hippocratic oath.-

"One of Coburn’s suggestions is to divert money from unspent economic and job stimulus programs to cover costs of new benefits for veterans and their families, according to sources who have discussed the issue with Coburn’s staff.

So far, at least, Senate leaders don’t want to let Coburn offer any amendments because of the precedent that would set to delay other legislation. Actual funding for benefits traditionally is handled separately from the bills that authorize the benefits, Senate aides said.

Earlier this fall, Coburn placed holds on S 252, the Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009, and S 728, the Veterans’ Insurance and Benefits Enhancement Act of 2009, which led to the introduction of S 1963, which combines key provisions of the two earlier bills in an effort to get around Coburn’s opposition.

In a letter sent Monday night to the Senate majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the 13 military and veterans groups ask the Senate to get on with it.

“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."

Why did Coburn not object to funding the Iraq war off budget? Why does Coburn oppose defense contactors being held legally responsible when their employees commit rape? What a tool.

And Coburn served in the military when? Oh yea, he didn't. A$$hole.

Right, Coburn is sure looking out for the taxpayers. That's why he wouldn't vote one dime to pay for the wars he so loves and was content to pass all the debt on to the next guy.

Isn't this the same guy that sterilized a girl without her permission?
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Who and when is there a candidate to replace Coburn? Richard, Okc

Too add a further comment that is why the other party contacted the HQ of the veterans organizations. Too put pressure on Coburn to drop his hold. They figure that Oklahoma veterans would raise hell with Coburn and he would release the hold. What they didn't figure on was that in Oklahoma veterans can think for themselves.

Coburn never saw a WAR he didn't like and her never fussed about the cost, never insisted on putting the wars in the budget, and never ran to the cameras insisting we pay for the wars as we go, ie, a tax increase to payoff the wars.

Teddy, Coburn is the ranking minority on that sub-committee, and therefore is the only one on the minority that can hold a bill before it can leave the sub-committee

I like Coburn but if he is so right on this issue, why is he the only senator holding it up? Seems as if this was really a big issue at least other rank and file repubs would join him.

Boomer, the National HQ of these veterans groups are asking Coburn to release the hold. Personally I believe Coburn has a good point and he should be allowed to debate it on the senate floor. But that isn't going to happen since his party is in the minority. I didn't say the bill was awful I am saying that it could be better like Coburn said. And it definitely shouldn't exclude Veterans from the WWII, Vietnam, Gulf War I eras.

Veterans groups just want their money, that's why Boomer. Coburn takes a hard look at everything that comes for a vote and doesn't give the typical political rubber stamp. He's not only looking out for veterans here, he's looking out for taxpayers. I wish we had more politicians like him in that respect.

I wouldnt expect anything less out of this clown.

So, Jay, you would have no problem with Coburn taking his hold off. And allow congress to vote on the bill? If the bill doesn't pass, then work towards a better one. If the current bill is so awful, as you protest, then why in heaven's name are veteran groups asking Coburn to quit impeding a vote???

Not me. All I do is vote for the candidate that will take care of veterans.

Any chance "Jay" isn't someone associated with Coburn's office / campaign?

As a veteran I believe Sen Coburn is doing a good job looking after Oklahoma veterans. For those of you that want to know why he is holding this bill, here is his reason:

Facts about the Veterans Caregiver Bill
Facts about S. 1963 – Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act

1. Dr. Coburn is NOT opposing the veterans caregiver bill, he merely wants to debate and amend the legislation to improve it.

2. The veteran caregiver bill currently discriminates against Vietnam veterans, Gulf War I veterans, and World War II veterans.

3. The veteran caregiver bill duplicates an existing program that has been providing benefits for decades to veterans to take care of themselves in their homes rather than nursing homes or hospitals.

4. Unlike the veteran caregiver bill, Dr. Coburn’s amendment increases benefits for all veterans, and reduces wasteful spending in order to guarantee that veterans today and in the future will receive the benefits they have earned, including these new caregiver benefits."

So who is really looking after our veterans?