By Curt_Anderson July 29, 2022 5:19 pm Category: Military (0.0 from 0 votes) Rules of the Post Write A New Article How To Post Here Rate this article (5=best, 0=poor)

(ABC News)Military veterans and advocates are pushing back after Republican senators this week blocked passage of a widely supported bipartisan bill that would have provided millions of veterans with expedited health care and disability payments related to illnesses caused by toxic exposure from burn pits during their service.

Just last month, a nearly identical bill passed in the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, clearing by a margin of 84-14. The proposed legislation traveled to the House chamber, where representatives made a small technical tweak to remove an obscure tax provision that raised a constitutional concern, and passed again with bipartisan support in a 342-88 vote, sending it back to the Senate.

Twenty-six Republicans changed their votes since last month on Wednesday night when the bill made its way back to the Senate, blocked by a contingency of Republicans led by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., by a vote margin of 55-42. Sixty votes were needed to move forward with the bill. After the vote, GOP senators including Texas' Ted Cruz celebrated together, fist-bumping on the floor.

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by oldedude on July 29, 2022 7:29 pm Sorry, this is already part of the VA law. In addition, if you would apply now with issues, You'll pay for all appointments procedures, etcetcetc until they rate you. That usually takes 4-7 years. IF you have a lawyer, and pay them and ruin yourself financially, it will take 4ish. Weldome to the health care system the libs use as the "best." by oldedude on July 29, 2022 9:52 pm These are two threads using the exact same references. That is just sad. You actually lied to make it look like something was actually going on, but nothing stands on the merits. You have to lie about it to get your point across. by oldedude on July 29, 2022 10:03 pm And you know what? The dims refused to hear an amendment to the bill to get it passed. My guess was the dims, like the posters, are liars. by Donna on July 29, 2022 10:41 pm You don't understand the problems the proposed legislation addresses. The legislation would expand eligibility for VA health care and benefits to 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to burn pits since 9/11.  It would add 23 illnesses to the list of diagnoses the VA presumes are connected to military service, ending the need for veterans with those conditions to try to prove to the federal government it’s the result of time overseas.  The measure would also expand health care and benefits for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a chemical the U.S. military used during the Vietnam War. American Samoa, Cambodia, Guam, Johnston Atoll, Laos and Thailand would all be added to the list of locations where veterans are presumed to have been exposed to the chemical. by HatetheSwamp on July 30, 2022 4:08 am Donna, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you're joshing us. This is standard Dem party boiler plate when they control Congress and when the election winds are blowing against them. They propose crap legislation...but addressing needs that no one with a heart could oppose, knowing that GOPs will have to vote against them and then they use the votes as propaganda. I can't believe that you're serious but, if you are, rest assured, the same GOPs who have compassion for the unborn, care about people who suffer as a result of exposure to burn pit toxins. by oldedude on July 30, 2022 5:08 am I thought of that this morning, but this faux concern is abundantly clear. I would add that without looking at the entire bill, there's no way to understand why people voted either way. BOTH SIDES have voted against "military spending" bills. The issue with the bills in either house, is they are allowed to add bullsht to a (say) farm bill that has nothing to do with farming to get it passed. Again, I just shrugged at both of them. Both "say" they support veterans, but they only use that to prove their TDS or political purpose. by oldedude on July 30, 2022 2:55 pm "You don't understand the problems the proposed legislation addresses." Actually my family and I (and friends) do understand this. Much better than you do. And we watch what is going on. We are watching our brothers and sisters that were totally fukked after VietNam. The number of liver cancers, and uterine/ breast cancers are 12 times the civilian rate. Brain cancer is 14 times the civilian rate. So for you to attempt to "tell" us whats in it is stupid. And your faux "concern" just belittles the deaths. "I won't give up my guns to an administration that armed the Taliban" by Curt_Anderson on July 30, 2022 3:13 pm The GOP objection to this bill is that they don't want to be obliged to provide health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits overseas. They want that spending to be at Congress's discretion every year. Discretionary spending is money formally approved by the President and voted on by Congress during the appropriations process each year. Both of Tennessee’s Republican senators, Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, voted against the bill—although Clarksville’s Ft. Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Division, which served in the Middle East conflict. Spending fight Some members had objected because the federal government would pay for the bill’s $278.5 billion cost through mandatory rather than discretionary spending. Mandatory spending includes entitlement programs like Social Security, and is set in law and in effect indefinitely. Under discretionary spending, members of Congress would control the funding each year through the appropriations process. tennesseelookout.com by Donna on July 30, 2022 3:15 pm I know. I've spoken in-person to many war vets. What war does to human bodies is beyond words, and our government's response has been unconcionably insufficient. That's why I think it's also uncondcionable for those 41 Republican Senators to oppose a bill which although isn't a panacea, will help. by Donna on July 30, 2022 5:02 pm Curt - Do you understand why any Republican voter would defend the "no" votes of those 41 Republican Senators? I don't. by oldedude on July 30, 2022 5:16 pm Honestly, this isn't the major issue at the VA, like I've said before. But I get told that it's a great system bblahblahblah.... My youngest son took almost 7 years to get rated to 60%. That means that 60% of his bills get paid IF he goes through VA. He's been shot twice and blown up three times. Once with chlorine gas in the EFP. He's the one that took 1500 pieces of sharapnel, and has almost 200 jumps with the 82nd. He'll also eventually go blind because of the chlorine. His liver is failing (remember he has to pay 40% of his medical bills. Can't get a job because he's out so much. I just started my VA "quest." Our assumption that maybe, with a lot of luck and a lawyer, I'll be done in 7-9 years. During that time, I'm considered 0% disabled. I was both exposed to sarin gas (the one pondy made fun of), but I also took the "experimental" anti-sarin "vaccine" which only made people deathly ill. In 1991 when I got back, I took all the tests and did everything I needed to do on my post deployment medical. I attempted to keep my med records up to date with this, but what I got from my doctors was "it's in here, there's nothing we can do except treat the symptoms. So before every mission, I would go on an admodium diet and carry spares with me. My liver is dying, pancreas is shot, muscle aches from my hips to my ankles, plus my shoulders. Every time I go to the VA, I pay to see my doc. I pay for tests, I pay for x-rays, etc. I would pay 100%, but I have private insurance that most of the time pays. IF I can get covered prior to my death, I will get some comps. But this is what that system is like. If I ask them to fix something prior to me being rated, they won't do it, and if my private doc does it, that gets scratched off my disability. Since I am not rated, I also am on the waiting list for tests, etc for the people that are rated. Which drags out the system even longer. If they have too many Test X for this quarter, I go on the list for next quarter. The only one that may be okay, are blood tests. Welcome to the VA, Hope you don't die before we get to you! by Donna on July 30, 2022 5:39 pm That's outrageous not to mention depressing, olde dude. I totally get why you're livid. IMO all veterans should be having all of their medical bills fully covered. Btw, Bernie Sanders who you regularly denigrate thinks that should be happening too. by Curt_Anderson on July 30, 2022 5:40 pm Donna, My guess is the Republicans are pissed about Joe Manchin announcing his intention to vote for the anti-inflation bill. It's a petty move. I've heard it denounced it a lot harsher language than that. OD, Sorry to hear about all your family's and your health issues and concerns. My belief is that much of what we ask our military men and women to do is not in America's best interests, counterproductive and dangerous--often unnecessarily so. However, since we send our military into risky situations we have an obligation to provide the best healthcare and compensation without any rigmarole. As it stands now "Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems they believe are related to exposure to burn pits during military service. VA decides these claims on a case-by-case basis. File a claim online at www.ebenefits. va.gov." The GOP insistence on discretionary budget would seem to me to add a level of uncertainty when a doctor is considering a patient's claim/case. Btw, is anybody suggesting we ban toxic burn pits or at least reduce the exposure? by oldedude on July 30, 2022 7:46 pm We are disappointed in the VA. This is how they work. NONE of us went in to the military under the selective service. We do/did things we volunteered for. Nothing less. One of us hates aircraft and water, one calls in his own position to air and artillery strikes to save others, and the other one's motto is "So that others may live." We all live under the frame "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!*”" Every mission I went on, I volunteered for. Same with the other two. No questions. What part of that needs pity? I know dims and sheep try to use that because they don't know who they're talking about. I have a saying that I mentioned a long time ago. "I would rather suffer in good company, than live comfortable surrounded by delicate men." Honestly, the last thing we want is pity. Btw, is anybody suggesting we ban toxic burn pits or at least reduce the exposure? Most of those areas are in the distant FOBs. It's either that or spread dysentery throughout the camp, ruin their water systems, and kill everyone there. Honestly, you have to burn the shit to clean it. The bacteria will be killed so people don't die. If your downwind, it sucks. What you want to do is to put your pit downwind of prevailing winds. If the winds change, it sucks. Do people throw other things in there that are toxic? Yes, because it's the sure way to get rid of it. Lots of mercury, lead, and other heavy metals. I was also indirectly ridiculed for "bombing wantonly." I'll take credit for that and double down on it. When your enemy drills the temples of 10 year olds to have the parents watch their children die in agony, I don't have a problem with it. When they are the biggest regional slave trade (women, girls as young as 4, and boys all for sex), I don't have a problem with that. And to ridicule me, means you don't understand this enemy. This is part of their war. I spoke about this before. You warn them. They do what they're not supposed to do (because they'll test you). You do what you said you would do. They either comply or not. Eventually you reach an agreement. It really is that easy. Do people die? sure. Eventually people don't. They will continue to murder until it costs them too much. You need to get out of the Ugly American mindset and think like them. *Isaiah 6:8 Go To Top

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