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SEN. TOM COBURN CONTINUES TO HOLD UP VETERANS'
SUICIDE LEGISLATION -- Claims it is to protect
veterans,
but insiders say it's all about gun control.
Background stories on this issue are here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/
nf07/nfAUG07/nf082407-1.htm
and here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/
nf07/nfJUN07/nf061107-3.htm
For more on veterans and guns (and gun
control), use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/ses
search.php?q=gun+guns&op=or
Today's story here...
http://www.tulsaworld.
com/news/article.aspx?articleID=0
70906_1_A1_spanc15863
Story below:
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Coburn won't budge on veterans bill
Sen. Tom Coburn: He thinks the bill will hurt veterans’ job
opportunities.
By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn vowed Wednesday to continue his hold
on a bill designed to address high suicide rates among veterans, calling
the bill insulting to veterans and warning that its mandatory mental
health screening could harm their future job options.
Supporters of the bill dismissed the Oklahoma Republican's concerns, and
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., served notice that he would
move the bill before Congress adjourns.
"We are not going to let one or two senators stop us from moving forward
on this," said Reid, who cit ed his father's suicide years ago.
Both sides of the impasse, reported earlier by Congressional Quarterly,
aired their views in comments delivered on the Senate floor.
Coburn attempted to distance himself from previously reported concerns
about the impact the bill could have on veterans' gun rights, saying
that's "hardly the situation at all."
Instead, he focused on the duplication of ongoing efforts by the
Department of Veterans Affairs, the mandated mental health screening for
all veterans, regardless of why they visit a VA facility, and the
tracking of veterans who
have mental health issues.
"It's insulting to our military men and women," Coburn said.
He said such mandatory screening of all veterans, even those without any
symptoms, would result in such information becoming part of their
record, which could impact their efforts to become a pilot, a police
officer or join other professions.
"I'm going to continue to hold this bill until we work on the issues to
guarantee freedoms of the veterans in terms of the tracking of their
data and them individually, in terms of securing the data about them,"
Coburn said.
He also said his attempts to resolve his differences with Sen. Tom
Harkin, D-Iowa, the bill's sponsor, have been rebuffed.
During his remarks, Harkin disputed Coburn's claim.
Harkin said his staff, along with the staff of Sen. Chuck Grassley,
R-Iowa, one of the bill's supporters, met with Coburn's staff before the
August recess.
Coburn's staff, he said, made no suggestions to resolve Coburn's
concerns, adding that attempts to set up additional meetings were
unsuccessful.
Harkin said Coburn's concerns are unfounded.
Veterans, he said, returning from deployment already are required by the
Department of Defense to complete a check-list on symptoms such as
anxiety, sleeping difficulties and suicidal thoughts.
"There are no opt-outs because these programs are critical to ensure
that those with mental health concerns receive the assistance they
need," Harkin said.
He said he was puzzled by Coburn's concerns that the bill could
interfere with a veteran's right to access firearms.
"There are strict privacy laws that govern the doctor-patient
relationship," Harkin said. "Privacy laws prevent the release of
identifiable information about any patient."
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Larry Scott --
