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Veterans ask Coburn to drop hold on bill

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., is pictured speaking in Oklahoma City in August. JIM BECKEL/NewsOk.com

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Published: 11/6/2009 12:08 PM
Last Modified: 11/6/2009 3:13 PM

WASHINGTON - Veterans and their supporters called on U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., on Friday to drop his hold and allow a vote to be held on a bill to offer assistance and improve benefits to wounded veterans and their caregivers.

Without identifying Coburn by name, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, said a single senator is denying veterans improved benefits.

Akaka said Senate Bill 1963 also would provide assistance to caregivers who sometimes have to give up their jobs to stay at home and care for wounded veterans.

That can lead to depression and lack of health care for the caregivers, he said.

Ultimately, Akaka said, the burden for caring for wounded veterans must be carried by the government that sent them to war in the first place.

""It is time for this body to act,'' he said in comments on the Senate floor.

Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, agreed and did identify Coburn as the senator with a hold on the bill.

Begich noted Veterans Day will be observed next week.

""Veterans have paid their dues to this country,'' he said, adding there is no excuse for delaying action on the bill.

Key provisions of the bill are designed to improve health care access for wounded veterans, especially those in rural areas, and women veterans.

Benefits including counseling and a stipend would be made available to caregivers of wounded veterans.

The American Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Wounded Warrior Project and other groups have launched an effort to get a vote scheduled on the bill.

Coburn did not respond to a request for comment.

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Veterans and supporters ask Coburn to drop hold on bill," which was published on 11/7/2009. So far, 111 comments have been made.