With four weeks remaining before the election, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) released its report cards on members of the 110th Congress. Grading was based on legislation that affected veterans and their families.
In the Senate, Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona earned a ‘D’ on the report card, while his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, finished the term with a ‘B.’ Grades were based on nine votes covering a range of issue including veterans’ health care, the new GI Bill, mental health and support for homeless veterans.
Both of the nominees’ grades were hindered by their attendance. While hitting the campaign trail for potential votes, McCain missed six of the nine votes, while his counterpart, Obama, missed four of the votes.
The IAVA, the largest organization of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, says it is committed to holding elected officials accountable through its nonprofit, nonpartisan 501, the IAVA Action Fund. The advocacy group released the report card on Oct. 6 to educate American voters on the voting records of elected officials and hold them them accountable for their actions regarding the 1.7 million veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The report card scores are based on how often legislators voted in favor of pro-veteran positions that align with the IAVA Action. All of the bills were equally weighted, except the 21st Century GI Bill, which was doubled because it was the IAVA’s top legislative priority.
The latter boded well for Obama, who co-sponsored the bill, but adversely affected McCain, who not only did not support the final version of the bill, but, while fundraising in California, missed the vote. McCain did co-sponsor an alternative bill, which was quickly shot down in the Senate, because it conflicted with Virginia Democratic Sen. Jim Webb’s version of the bill.
Voting against the new GI Bill affected Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who received a ‘C’ on the report card, while his colleague Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, received the highest rating, an ‘A+’.
In the House, Iowa’s freshmen Democrats, Reps. Bruce Braley, District 1, and Dave Loebsack,District 2, joined Harkin at the top with an ‘A+.’ They were closely followed by Reps. Leonard Boswell, D- District 3 and Tom Latham, R- District 4, who received an ‘A,’ and Rep. Steve King, R-District 5, who earned a ‘B’.
The IAVA used 13 votes in the House to assess grades
Showing posts with label IAVA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IAVA. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Hold Put on Harkin’s Veterans Suicide Prevention Act
The Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act appeared to be on the fast track in Congress until Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., put a hold on it because of 2nd Amendment concerns.
The House version introduced by Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, unanimously passed in March, while the Senate was scheduled to vote on Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin’s companion bill upon returning from the August recess. Coburn said last week he is worried that veterans seeking treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicide-related symptoms will be “adjudicated as mentally defective,” which may prevent them from buying guns in the future. The bill was introduced by Boswell in honor of Joshua Omvig, a young man from Grundy Center who took his own life after returning home form an 11-month tour in Iraq.
Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq war veteran and founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Iraq Veterans of America, took issue with Coburn’s rationale. “Sen. Coburn’s claim that Joshua Omvig Veteran Suicide prevention bill really is just a red herring argument using veterans as political pawns in a struggle over gun control legislation,” said Rieckhoff.
“The real issue behind Coburn blocking the Omvig bill is that he hates new proposed gun control legislation (H.R. 2640) which was drafted in response to the Virginia Tech shooting,” Rieckhoff writes on his IAVA blog. “The new bill called NICS would compel government agencies to turn over any list they might have of people who have been 'adjudicated as mentally defective.' The gun lobby says that the background check measure ‘will deter veterans from seeking help and counseling if they think that being helped with something like post-traumatic stress disorder will disqualify them from owning guns.’ Current law already states that people who have been thus adjudicated can not receive gun permits.”
During the House's consideration of the bill, Boswell said, "With more and more veterans returning from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, new issues have arisen regarding veterans mental health care that have not received attention in the past."
"Some estimates have found that almost one thousand veterans receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs commit suicide each year, and one out of five suicides in the United States is a veteran,” Boswell said in a press release. “We must do better for our veterans, and I believe this legislation is a step in the right direction. A screening and tracking process might have provided Joshua with the counseling he needed," added Boswell. "But, the provisions in this bill will help other veterans, and that is very important."
H.R. 327 mandates the screening of all patients at the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for suicide risk factors and the tracking of at-risk veterans. It requires that each VA medical center designate one suicide prevention counselor and for the VA to conduct outreach to veterans and their families on mental health issues. The bill also requires 24-hour availability of a mental health hotline for veterans.
In August, Harkin introduced his companion bill, which also takes a multifaceted approach. It emphasizes the importance of social support, readjustment services, and further research to prevent and treat suicide among our nation’s veterans. “The stress our service men and women endure in combat is enormous and can trigger severe mental health issues after they have returned home,” Harkin said in a press release. “We have a responsibility to treat both the physical injuries and the mental wounds our soldiers suffer.” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is a co-sponsor of the bill.
“The same way swift triage care can save a soldier on the battlefield,” Harkin said in the statement, “accurate diagnosis and delivery of quality mental health care can do the same once the fighting ends. It’s time to provide new resources and eliminate the stigmatization about seeking help. We must focus on increasing programs in detection, prevention, and treatment of suicidal behavior among those who have dedicated their lives to keeping our nation secure.”
Until Coburn removes the hold, passage of the Omvig Bill remains uncertain and delays will have a lasting impact on veterans struggling with PTSD and thoughts of suicide.
Regarding the hold, Rieckhoff examines Coburn’s rationale on his IAVA blog:
The House version introduced by Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, unanimously passed in March, while the Senate was scheduled to vote on Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin’s companion bill upon returning from the August recess. Coburn said last week he is worried that veterans seeking treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicide-related symptoms will be “adjudicated as mentally defective,” which may prevent them from buying guns in the future. The bill was introduced by Boswell in honor of Joshua Omvig, a young man from Grundy Center who took his own life after returning home form an 11-month tour in Iraq.
Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq war veteran and founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Iraq Veterans of America, took issue with Coburn’s rationale. “Sen. Coburn’s claim that Joshua Omvig Veteran Suicide prevention bill really is just a red herring argument using veterans as political pawns in a struggle over gun control legislation,” said Rieckhoff.
“The real issue behind Coburn blocking the Omvig bill is that he hates new proposed gun control legislation (H.R. 2640) which was drafted in response to the Virginia Tech shooting,” Rieckhoff writes on his IAVA blog. “The new bill called NICS would compel government agencies to turn over any list they might have of people who have been 'adjudicated as mentally defective.' The gun lobby says that the background check measure ‘will deter veterans from seeking help and counseling if they think that being helped with something like post-traumatic stress disorder will disqualify them from owning guns.’ Current law already states that people who have been thus adjudicated can not receive gun permits.”
During the House's consideration of the bill, Boswell said, "With more and more veterans returning from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, new issues have arisen regarding veterans mental health care that have not received attention in the past."
"Some estimates have found that almost one thousand veterans receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs commit suicide each year, and one out of five suicides in the United States is a veteran,” Boswell said in a press release. “We must do better for our veterans, and I believe this legislation is a step in the right direction. A screening and tracking process might have provided Joshua with the counseling he needed," added Boswell. "But, the provisions in this bill will help other veterans, and that is very important."
H.R. 327 mandates the screening of all patients at the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for suicide risk factors and the tracking of at-risk veterans. It requires that each VA medical center designate one suicide prevention counselor and for the VA to conduct outreach to veterans and their families on mental health issues. The bill also requires 24-hour availability of a mental health hotline for veterans.
In August, Harkin introduced his companion bill, which also takes a multifaceted approach. It emphasizes the importance of social support, readjustment services, and further research to prevent and treat suicide among our nation’s veterans. “The stress our service men and women endure in combat is enormous and can trigger severe mental health issues after they have returned home,” Harkin said in a press release. “We have a responsibility to treat both the physical injuries and the mental wounds our soldiers suffer.” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is a co-sponsor of the bill.
“The same way swift triage care can save a soldier on the battlefield,” Harkin said in the statement, “accurate diagnosis and delivery of quality mental health care can do the same once the fighting ends. It’s time to provide new resources and eliminate the stigmatization about seeking help. We must focus on increasing programs in detection, prevention, and treatment of suicidal behavior among those who have dedicated their lives to keeping our nation secure.”
Until Coburn removes the hold, passage of the Omvig Bill remains uncertain and delays will have a lasting impact on veterans struggling with PTSD and thoughts of suicide.
Regarding the hold, Rieckhoff examines Coburn’s rationale on his IAVA blog:
Coburn’s office (via the gun lobby) is purposefully combining two unrelated issues to score political points. The facts are that to be “ADJUDICATED” as mentally defective a person must be “a danger to himself or others” “as a result of marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease” as determined by “by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority.” (27 CFR 478.11)
The key word is “adjudicated.” Even if the VA determines that a veteran has high suicide risk factors (screening for these factors is a provision of the Omvig bill) or even PTSD, they must specifically determine that the veteran is danger to himself. That determination could only happen when the veteran applies for benefits and the VA “adjudicates” their claim. The VA would have to make a specific finding that as part of the veteran’s disability rating that they ARE a danger to themselves, not that they MIGHT be a danger.
The Omvig bill only deals with screening for risk factors. The House version does contain a provision that requires the VA to track those with high risk factors, but neither mentions anything about adjudication. If someone has started receiving counseling for PTSD then they are already being screened for suicidal risk factors and the Omvig bill does not affect the adjudication of the veterans PTSD claim in ANY way.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Veterans/Political Fronts
After posting disappointing campaign fundraising numbers for the second quarter in a row, Sen. John McCain downsized his Iowa staff, including his veterans outreach aide.
Veterans gathered at the Fort Dodge Public Library on Thursday for a session on veterans affairs led by Robert Hamill, a staff member of U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. One of the biggest concerns was the waiting periods and bureaucratic delays regarding their health care needs. Hamill said the Thursday’s discussion was part of a series of similar sessions across the state. He mentioned two bills under consideration in Congress: the ‘‘Coming Together for National Guard and Reserve Families Act’’ and the ‘‘Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act.’’
“DCCC Launches Ads Attacking GOP's Record on Troops and Veterans”: Gearing up for the 2008 election, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began targeting 14 vulnerable Republican districts this week by launching its Independence Day ad campaign. "Republicans are going home to talk up their support for our nation's troops and veterans. But, their constituents deserve to know that the Republican record on veterans is all talk and no action," said campaign chairman Chris Van Hollen. "America's troops and veterans deserve more than patriotic speeches this Independence Day."
“This Unusual Alliance is for the Soldiers”: Internet activism has forged an unlikely alliance between 15-year-old YouTube video producer Lizzi Palmer, the hard-rock band Drowning Pool and a group called Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. They want to help educate young people about veterans' health care issues and encourage youth to actively participate in the political process. The campaign, "This Is For the Soldiers," is encouraging supporters to send a petition to U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, asking the California Democrat to take action on the Lane Evans Bill (H.R. 1354) pending in the House. This bipartisan legislation would require mandatory mental-health counseling for combat veterans and ensure a better transition for troops leaving the military.
After posting disappointing campaign fundraising numbers for the second quarter in a row, Sen. John McCain downsized his Iowa staff, including his veterans outreach aide.
Veterans gathered at the Fort Dodge Public Library on Thursday for a session on veterans affairs led by Robert Hamill, a staff member of U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. One of the biggest concerns was the waiting periods and bureaucratic delays regarding their health care needs. Hamill said the Thursday’s discussion was part of a series of similar sessions across the state. He mentioned two bills under consideration in Congress: the ‘‘Coming Together for National Guard and Reserve Families Act’’ and the ‘‘Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act.’’
“DCCC Launches Ads Attacking GOP's Record on Troops and Veterans”: Gearing up for the 2008 election, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began targeting 14 vulnerable Republican districts this week by launching its Independence Day ad campaign. "Republicans are going home to talk up their support for our nation's troops and veterans. But, their constituents deserve to know that the Republican record on veterans is all talk and no action," said campaign chairman Chris Van Hollen. "America's troops and veterans deserve more than patriotic speeches this Independence Day."
“This Unusual Alliance is for the Soldiers”: Internet activism has forged an unlikely alliance between 15-year-old YouTube video producer Lizzi Palmer, the hard-rock band Drowning Pool and a group called Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. They want to help educate young people about veterans' health care issues and encourage youth to actively participate in the political process. The campaign, "This Is For the Soldiers," is encouraging supporters to send a petition to U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, asking the California Democrat to take action on the Lane Evans Bill (H.R. 1354) pending in the House. This bipartisan legislation would require mandatory mental-health counseling for combat veterans and ensure a better transition for troops leaving the military.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
This Unusual Alliance is for the Soldiers
Internet activism has forged an unlikely alliance between 15-year-old YouTube video producer Lizzi Palmer, the hard-rock band Drowning Pool and a group called Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. They want to help educate young people about veterans' health care issues and encourage youth to actively participate in the political process.
“Whether you’re for the war or against it, everyone has an obligation to support the men and women serving our country,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of IAVA. “Our alliance with Drowning Pool and Lizzie provides a great platform for raising awareness among young people about the challenges veterans face. At least one in three Iraq veterans will cope with a serious mental health issue, like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s crucial that we put systems in place now to help them.”
The campaign, “This Is For the Soldiers,” is encouraging supporters to send a petition to U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, asking the California Democrat to take action on the Lane Evans Bill (H.R. 1354) pending in the House. This bipartisan legislation would require mandatory mental-health counseling for combat veterans and ensure a better transition for troops leaving the military.
A letter written by the band was read before the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors and will be followed by the band, Drowning Pool, testifying before Congress in early September. The “This Is For the Soldiers" campaign "gives young people a chance to make a real difference in the lives of our country’s newest generation of veterans,” said Rieckhoff.
To help promote the campaign, IAVA enlisted Lizzie Palmer to create a video using footage from Drowning Pool’s recent USO tours in Iraq, Kuwait and South Korea in 2005 and 2006. “We have had the opportunity to meet the troops overseas, come back to the States and get invited to different bases in difference cities. We have spent countless hours with soldiers who do what they do without question and you can’t help being touched by that,” said Drowning Pool lead singer Ryan McCombs to the IAVA. Palmer’s video for Drowning Pool's song called “Soldiers” was released on the 4th of July.
“This is for the Soldiers,” (muisc by Drowning Pool and video by Lizzy Palmer)
The campaign’s title, “This Is For the Soldiers,” comes from a line in “Soldiers,” which the band wrote based on their experiences in Iraq. Bassist Stevie Benton told the IAVA, “After returning from Baghdad, our priority was writing a song about our troops, for our troops. I hope they will accept the song as a show of our respect and thanks.” Drowning Pool also named an upcoming concert tour after the campaign and plans to donate 50 cents from each ticket sale to IAVA and 50 cents to the USO.
IAVA, founded by Iraq veteran Paul Rieckhoff, has been advocating since 2004 on behalf of returning service members. It is the first and largest group representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even Ohio teen Lizzie Palmer has taken action before. “Remember Me,” her previous music video honoring U.S. troops, has received more than 1 million hits on YouTube.
Lizzie Palmer: “Remember Me”
“Whether you’re for the war or against it, everyone has an obligation to support the men and women serving our country,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of IAVA. “Our alliance with Drowning Pool and Lizzie provides a great platform for raising awareness among young people about the challenges veterans face. At least one in three Iraq veterans will cope with a serious mental health issue, like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s crucial that we put systems in place now to help them.”
The campaign, “This Is For the Soldiers,” is encouraging supporters to send a petition to U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, asking the California Democrat to take action on the Lane Evans Bill (H.R. 1354) pending in the House. This bipartisan legislation would require mandatory mental-health counseling for combat veterans and ensure a better transition for troops leaving the military.
A letter written by the band was read before the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors and will be followed by the band, Drowning Pool, testifying before Congress in early September. The “This Is For the Soldiers" campaign "gives young people a chance to make a real difference in the lives of our country’s newest generation of veterans,” said Rieckhoff.
To help promote the campaign, IAVA enlisted Lizzie Palmer to create a video using footage from Drowning Pool’s recent USO tours in Iraq, Kuwait and South Korea in 2005 and 2006. “We have had the opportunity to meet the troops overseas, come back to the States and get invited to different bases in difference cities. We have spent countless hours with soldiers who do what they do without question and you can’t help being touched by that,” said Drowning Pool lead singer Ryan McCombs to the IAVA. Palmer’s video for Drowning Pool's song called “Soldiers” was released on the 4th of July.
“This is for the Soldiers,” (muisc by Drowning Pool and video by Lizzy Palmer)
The campaign’s title, “This Is For the Soldiers,” comes from a line in “Soldiers,” which the band wrote based on their experiences in Iraq. Bassist Stevie Benton told the IAVA, “After returning from Baghdad, our priority was writing a song about our troops, for our troops. I hope they will accept the song as a show of our respect and thanks.” Drowning Pool also named an upcoming concert tour after the campaign and plans to donate 50 cents from each ticket sale to IAVA and 50 cents to the USO.
IAVA, founded by Iraq veteran Paul Rieckhoff, has been advocating since 2004 on behalf of returning service members. It is the first and largest group representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even Ohio teen Lizzie Palmer has taken action before. “Remember Me,” her previous music video honoring U.S. troops, has received more than 1 million hits on YouTube.
Lizzie Palmer: “Remember Me”
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