GOP Senator Tom Coburn blocks veteran suicide prevention bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veterans groups blasted Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn Monday for blocking a bill intended to reduce a suicide epidemic that claims the lives of 22 military veterans every day. LINK

"This is why people hate Washington," said Paul Rieckhoff, CEO and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group. Rieckhoff accused Coburn of single-handedly blocking a bill that could save the lives of thousands of veterans.

Coburn, a Republican, is retiring after 10 years in the Senate. In a floor speech Monday night, he defended his actions, saying the bill would not accomplish its stated goal and duplicates programs that already exist.

Instead of passing the $22 million bill, Coburn said lawmakers should hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for frequently failing to serve veterans. "I don't think this bill would do the first thing to change what's happening" in terms of veterans' suicides, Coburn said.

Here this GOP senator blocked a veteran suicide prevention bill because he doesn’t think it would help!

22 VETERANS A DAY KILL THEMSELVES

NO, NOT A MONTH OR A YEAR

A DAY!

These brave people fought and risked their lives for this country and this is what they get: mental anguish for life and when some of them( may they rest in peace) cant take the insanity of Bush’ wars they kill themselves and this sucker doesn’t think 22 million dollars to fight this tragedy wont help

ANYTHING MIGHT HELP!

Try it first since your not doing anything to help these people

Typical of what the GOP will do as they get in power

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called the bill a targeted measure that would help ensure that programs to prevent veterans' suicide work as expected. The bill would require the Pentagon and Veterans Affairs Department to submit to independent reviews of their suicide prevention programs.

It also would establish a website to provide information on mental health services available to veterans, offer financial incentives to psychiatrists who agree to work for the VA and create a pilot program to assist veterans transitioning from active duty to veteran status.

Senate Majority Harry Reid, D-Nev., supported the measure in personal terms, noting that his father committed suicide. "I know firsthand of the heartbreak caused by the needless, preventable death of a loved one," Reid said.

The House approved the bill last week. The measure is named for Clay Hunt, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran from Houston who killed himself in 2011. Hunt's parents appealed to Coburn last week to withdraw his objection, but he declined. Blumenthal said he would reintroduce the bill in the new Congress if the measure fails this week.

a reply to: Willtell

I think we should be spending some scratch on making sure recruiters are telling kids interested in joining the military that 22 military personnel commit suicide every day.

a reply to: AgentShillington

I totally agree

a reply to: Willtell

Im for doing anything to help fellow vets........

But honestly what we need isnt more bills.........although I dont see whats wrong with implementing a hotline targeted for people who have been in a damn warzone......thats a whole different beast then your normal depressed teen....

What we need is to fix the damn broken VA........

Half the issue is because vets cant get the care they need when they come back because of the VA system.......

That hotline wouldnt be needed so much if we were actually taking care of them.......

And just how would that be enforced?

Arresting millions of vets ?

Parking a g-man in every veterans home?

Someone wants to off themselves 9 times out of 10 you won't be able to stop them.

The only way to stop it is if,and when they reach out for help.

Other than that there isn't much that can be done.

originally posted by: neo96
And just how would that be enforced?

Arresting millions of vets ?

Parking a g-man in every veterans home?

Someone wants to off themselves 9 times out of 10 you won't be able to stop them.

The only way to stop it is if,and when they reach out for help.

Other than that there isn't much that can be done.

From the linked story...

The bill would require the Pentagon and Veterans Affairs Department to submit to independent reviews of their suicide prevention programs. It also would establish a website to provide information on mental health services available to veterans, offer financial incentives to psychiatrists who agree to work for the VA and create a pilot program to assist veterans transitioning from active duty to veteran status.

I hope that clears up your confusion.

Throwing more money at a problem doesn`t always help.

duplicates programs that already exist

If there are already programs then maybe those programs need to be evaluated and changed so that they are more effective.
It`s no secret that the VA has been doing a poor job hopefully now that congress has taken some action the VA will do a better job.

I would like to see were this number came from. Anyway wouldn't Obama he at fault for not doing a thing for years? Just asking

originally posted by: AgentShillington

originally posted by: neo96
And just how would that be enforced?

Arresting millions of vets ?

Parking a g-man in every veterans home?

Someone wants to off themselves 9 times out of 10 you won't be able to stop them.

The only way to stop it is if,and when they reach out for help.

Other than that there isn't much that can be done.

From the linked story...

The bill would require the Pentagon and Veterans Affairs Department to submit to independent reviews of their suicide prevention programs. It also would establish a website to provide information on mental health services available to veterans, offer financial incentives to psychiatrists who agree to work for the VA and create a pilot program to assist veterans transitioning from active duty to veteran status.

I hope that clears up your confusion.

Who is confused?

You perhaps?

As a veteran and also a victim of our mental health system, to put yourself out there into their hands is to basically lose your rights as a human being and become a gunea pig for the mad scientists we call psychiatrists!

Not everything painted by the government as being a "Helpful Hand" is exactly how it is painted!

Having bad thoughts, does not make a human being a bad person, nor does it make them a potential "Domestic Terrorist"!

Maybe Coburn did nothing more than prevent some veterans from falling into a trap?

a reply to: mugger
Congress has been promising, lying, then cutting benefits since Viet Nam. I don't recall any veteran programs Obama cut. No one should volunteer for this military til congressman like Coburn are gone or dead, preferably both.

a reply to: Tardacus

22 million dollars is NOT a lot of money

HEAR THIS AGAIN:

22 VETERANS KILL THEMSELVES A DAY

That is a epidemic that because we are bombarded by so much stimuli in the media we don’t realize the enormity of this problem

And they just want to augment some reach out programs.

They got to do something when 22 suicides a day

For some to minimize this to me is not thinking.

People like this need all the reach out they can get; and should be exposed to the BEST care available that what this is trying to do

I don't have a problem with what Coburn did, remember the last important Web site the fed set up...why do we assume they won't screw it up this time.

The holiness is already there, many don't know about it because the military still treats admitting mental health issues as hugely taboo.

A pilot program means 5-10 year's before it gets expanded if it's not gutted next year.

Fix the programs that are in place is going to help people much quicker than starting from scratch.

originally posted by: seeker1963

originally posted by: AgentShillington

originally posted by: neo96
And just how would that be enforced?

Arresting millions of vets ?

Parking a g-man in every veterans home?

Someone wants to off themselves 9 times out of 10 you won't be able to stop them.

The only way to stop it is if,and when they reach out for help.

Other than that there isn't much that can be done.

From the linked story...

The bill would require the Pentagon and Veterans Affairs Department to submit to independent reviews of their suicide prevention programs. It also would establish a website to provide information on mental health services available to veterans, offer financial incentives to psychiatrists who agree to work for the VA and create a pilot program to assist veterans transitioning from active duty to veteran status.

I hope that clears up your confusion.

Who is confused?

You perhaps?

As a veteran and also a victim of our mental health system, to put yourself out there into their hands is to basically lose your rights as a human being and become a gunea pig for the mad scientists we call psychiatrists!

Not everything painted by the government as being a "Helpful Hand" is exactly how it is painted!

Having bad thoughts, does not make a human being a bad person, nor does it make them a potential "Domestic Terrorist"!

Maybe Coburn did nothing more than prevent some veterans from falling into a trap?

I am failing to see how my clearing up neo's very acute confusion on the nature of what the bill was proposing warranted the reply that it got from you.

a reply to: Irishhaf

It is just a website to provide information on mental health services - nothing too complex.

A pilot program is actually a smart way to save time and money -

A pilot program means 5-10 year's before it gets expanded

A bit of an exaggeration?

originally posted by: Willtell
These brave people fought and risked their lives for this country and this is what they get: mental anguish for life and when some of them( may they rest in peace) cant take the insanity of Bush’ wars they kill themselves and this sucker doesn’t think 22 million dollars to fight this tragedy wont help

What makes you think all the suicides are due to "the insanity of Bush' wars" [sic]? Maybe some of them fought in Obama's wars, or Clinton's, or FDR's. Maybe some didn't fight in any wars. Maybe they have terminal illnesses, or suffer from depression. You assume that all the suicides belong to a very small cohort in a very large population, and assume the reason for all the suicides can be reduced to one simple cause-and-effect relationship.

ANYTHING MIGHT HELP!

This attitude is what is wrong with our government. Do anything, as long as you can be seen doing something, no matter whether or not it works, no matter how much it costs.

The bill would require the Pentagon and Veterans Affairs Department to submit to independent reviews of their suicide prevention programs.

It also would establish a website to provide information on mental health services available to veterans, offer financial incentives to psychiatrists who agree to work for the VA and create a pilot program to assist veterans transitioning from active duty to veteran status.

* Agencies are already under Congressional oversight, OIG oversight, and GAO oversight. I'm not sure how many more independent reviewers they really need. I don't think millions of dollars is required to do such a review. Lobbyists from Westat or Rand probably helped come up with that number.
* There is already a web page for VA mental health services, though I'm not sure what good a web site can do for someone trying to commit suicide. But it is typical of this administration that their solution to a health problem is to create a web site. Maybe they can attach a $1 million rider to create a hashtag, too.
* The VA doesn't need bonuses to attract psychiatrists. When they need psychiatrists, they just tell Humana or LocumTenens and they get as many as they need.
* There is already an extensive program for active duty to veteran transitions. Also suicide awareness training at least every year. And you start getting mail from the VA when you get out, which pretty thoroughly covers what they can do for you.

Throwing more money at what doesn't work won't make it work.

a reply to: UmbraSumus

It's already there, all the information this bill supposedly covers I remember from my out briefs when I left active duty in 2007.
I do not see anything new that will have an immediate effect on the suicides.

Sounds to me we are getting our required evil Republican fix. Like some other posters said, "What about the V.A.?" Seems like they should be the ones to be doing this, oh that's right we have all that incompetence and failure with them. Like spending 22 million is going to give us a efficient government run program! This thread is a classic hit thread. We got a singled-out politician for folks to hate on, yes he all by his lonesome stopped this bill Last I checked bills get voted on and have to have a certain number of votes to pass. We get this from the C.E.O. of a advocacy group? Hmm wonder what his stake in the game is??? Maybe $$$? Funny how the people that are C.E.O.'s for advocacy groups and non-profits tend to make a lot of money!

a reply to: UmbraSumus

Nope. That is a pretty fair number for a government program.

No more pilot programs or hotlines or 'look what i did - vote for me' efforts are needed.

The VA and DoD already have enough money and enough resources to turn this around. What they need is adult supervision and less bureaucrats uninterested in solutions other than a bigger paycheck for less work.

Saving time time and money is not the target. Saving vets from tragic/permanent decisions is.

a reply to: hangedman13

Yet still 22 veterans kill themselves every day.

people are groping in the dark man

Some sincere people are trying to do something about it...

That's all, they aren't perfect people but to do nothing but scream orders at a bureaucracy that’s has already failed probably won't do much.

If 22 million dollars can save one human being then it’s worth it.

a reply to: FurvusRexCaeli

Whatever you say Bush started these wars, one based on lies, not Obama, and btw I don't like Obama much either.


Also
Some people are trying to solve a difficult problem that even seasoned psychologist are perplexed over.

What’s your solution, you seem to know everything.

You’re an expert on suicides particularly veteran suicides.

The only thing you’re an expert on is typical GOP selfishness it sounds to me.

I wonder are you worried about the giveaway to the Banksters

I doubt it.