Senate Proceeding on Nov 19th, 2009 :: 3:35:20 to 3:44:40
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3:35:16 to 3:35:37( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: it is not the american way, mr. president, and we must stop this government takeover of health care. thank you, and i yield the floor. mr. the presiding officer: the senator from hawaii. mr. akaka: mr. chairman, can you tell me how much time i have remaining? the presiding officer: remaining on your side, 31

3:35:20 to 3:44:40( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Don Cazayoux

3:35:38 to 3:35:59( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: minutes and 33 seconds. on the other side, 42 minutes, 15 seconds. mr. aka: mr. president, let me make further comment about the pending bill on the floor

3:36:00 to 3:36:22( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: and speak particularly about the costs of war. to those who are concerned about the costs of this legislation, let me say that i firmly believe we obligation to care for tho honorably served our country. when we as a nation vote to send

3:36:23 to 3:36:45( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: american troops to war, we are promising to care for them when they return. is a true cost of be treated as such. the costs associated with the underlying bill does not need to be offset.

3:36:46 to 3:37:06( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: the price has already been paid many times over by the service of the brave men and women who wore our nation's uniform. regardless of what my colleagues may think about the united nations and its role in the international affairs, this is not the time or place to be

3:37:07 to 3:37:28( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: debating those issue at this moment we're talking about meeting veterans' needs. iraq and afghanistan veterans o america agrees -- they write that, and i quote, "amendment to s. 1963 brought to the for is

3:37:29 to 3:37:49( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: just the latest in a long series of delaying tactics that plays political games with veterans' health care a services." mr. president, this bill would typically have full-time jobs,

3:37:50 to 3:38:10( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: support, and a living stipend. this modest stipend would be equal to what a home health agency would pay an employee to provide similar services. to assert that this legislation requires excessive simply wrong.

3:38:11 to 3:38:33( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: this spending is critical. when taken into account the sa have made for the nation. the sponsor of the amendment we are considering has expressed the view

3:38:34 to 3:38:54( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: discriminates against veterans because its caregiver assistance provisions focus on o.e.f. appeareando.i.f. provisions. while it is correct that they

3:38:55 to 3:39:17( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: target the current conflicts, i do not believe that discrimination. the reasons for this targeting are one, the needs and circumstances of the newest veterans in terms of the injuries are different -- different -- from those of veterans from earlier eras.

3:39:18 to 3:39:38( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: two, the that of older vents. and, three, by targettings this issue in on a specific group of veterans, a specific undertaking is enhanced. i note that most

3:39:39 to 3:40:01( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: major veterans groups support this bill and the caregiver provisions. i do not believe they would do so if they felt it was discriminatory. as my colleagues know, i am a veteran of world war ii. if we can provide help to the newest veterans in were not available to the

3:40:02 to 3:40:22( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: veterans of my generation, i support that 100%. veterans from iraq and afghanistan are returning home today to face new and different challenges. in world war ii, a third of those injured on the battlefield didn't make it home.

3:40:23 to 3:40:47( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: today, 90% of those injured make it home. but often with catastrophic and life-threatening injuries. some of these injuries leav invisible wounds, unprecedented rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses are affecting these young men and women.

3:40:48 to 3:41:09( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: these veterans will be cared for somewhere and by wha today, we may decide whether we that care occurs in a nursing home or in thei own home. the soldiers of my generation had no such choice. i say, let's help the nation's newest veterans to

3:41:10 to 3:41:30( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: home and let's help their families. according to a report from the center for naval analy of caregivers for veterans were either working or in school prior to becoming a

3:41:31 to 3:41:52( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: an employed caregiver will lose, on average, more than $600,000 in wages, pension, and social security benefits over the career of caregiving. the younger the veterans' families, the more wages the caregivers will lose. we can no longer ask our newest

3:41:53 to 3:42:14( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: generation to bear the costs of the nation's obligation for its wounded warriors. the premise of the amendment seems to be, if it is good for some, it is good for all. but the needs of veterans are not and expandi veteran who might benefit could

3:42:15 to 3:42:38( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: endanger the entire program. the includes the provision directing v.a. to repor within two years after the law enactment on the feasibility of expanding the provision of caregiver assistance to family members of veterans of prior service.

3:42:39 to 3:43:02( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: such an approach is not discriminatory. it is the responsible way to approach the issue. i neat other health care improvements which would result from this bill help virtually every group of vetans, including women veterans, homeless veterans, and veterans who live in rural areas.

3:43:03 to 3:43:24( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: i urge this body to reject the amendment and pass for the sake of all veterans. questions have been raised about the scope of the caregiver provisio when the bill came out of the

3:43:25 to 3:43:45( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: veterans' a two-year delay before t caregiver benefit could have been expanded. the bill, as reported, said the secretary of the v.a. could have expanded i it to all veterans if it made sense.

3:43:46 to 3:44:08( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: under the bill now before us, the congress will continue to have it beyond o.e.f. and o.i.f. veterans. nothing has once v.a. has experience with the proposed new program it can

3:44:09 to 3:44:29( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: be expanded to all veterans. mr. president, i yield the floor and reserve the balance of my mr. lemieux: the presiding officer: the senator from florida is recognized. mr. lemieux: thank you, mr. president. 25 years ago -- i'll never forget this - came home to my house.

3:44:30 to 3:44:40( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: i was 15 years old. and my mom and my dad sat me down and my mom told me a that she had breast after that, like any kid would,