Senate Proceeding on Nov 19th, 2009 :: 3:52:40 to 4:00:05
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3:52:21 to 3:52:42( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: up and see what this means and what this portends for the future. and with mr. aka: mr. president? the pres senator from hawaii is recognized.

3:52:40 to 4:00:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Don Cazayoux

3:52:43 to 3:53:03( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: mr. aka: mr. president, i would like to make further comments on some of at our speakers have the sponsor of the amendment has stated his prior -- primary goal

3:53:04 to 3:53:24( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: is to eligibility for caregiver assistance. it appears, however, that the amendment could well have the opposite effect and deny caregiver assistance to many o.e.f. and o.i.f. veterans by significantly narrowing the

3:53:25 to 3:53:47( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: eligibility criteria for caregiver assistance. the amendment would add a provision that would require that in addition to sustaing a serious injury and requiring personnel care, a veteran would have to be so helpless as to

3:53:48 to 3:54:10( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: require institutional care if personal care services were not available. this proposed modification is problematic, because not all veterans in need of caregiver assistance would be appropriate for or in need of institutional care.

3:54:11 to 3:54:31( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: to illustrate, consider the example suggested by the wounded warrior project. one of the principal advocates for the caregiver legislation. a veteran who is recovering from severe wounds suffers from ptsd and depression and needs help with feeding, dressing, and

3:54:32 to 3:54:53( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: getting to the bathroom. under the provisions in s. 1 1963, this veteran would be eligible for caregiver assistance. however, since the veteran in this exampleould not necessarily benefit from or require institutional or residential care, the veteran

3:54:54 to 3:55:15( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: would not be eligible for caregiver assistance under the changes proposed by the amendment. given the veterans enduring ptsd and depression, however, the v.a.'s failure to provide that assistance could have a severe impact on the

3:55:16 to 3:55:37( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: health and well-being. ptsd, one of the signature wounds of the current war, is a condition which may -- which many long-term institutional care settings and nursing homes are not prepared toandle or treat. as a result, the inclusion of

3:55:38 to 3:56:00( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: this new eligibility condition would exclude many veterans in critical need of caregiver assistance. there is another problem raised by the amendment's proposed expansion of the caregiver assistance to all veterans. by expending -- expanding eligibility for caregiver

3:56:01 to 3:56:23( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: assistance to all severely injured veterans, the amendment would convert a manageable initiative targeted on the veterans of the current conflicts into a huge undertaking that would surely encounter many problems. the reasoning behind initially administering services to a

3:56:24 to 3:56:47( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: smaller pool allows for greater efficiency and the opportunity to improve before expanding such services to a larger universe of veterans. i note that the disabled american veterans argues against the pending amendment because of

3:56:50 to 3:57:10( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: its potential impact. the d.a.v. writers -- quote -- "while the amendment of senator coburn seeks to extend caregiver services to veterans from all eras, its new restrictive eligibility language could actually reduce the number of severely wounded and disabled veterans returning home from the

3:57:11 to 3:57:32( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: wars in iraq and afghanistan eligible for s for this and other reasons, d.a.v. does not support this coburn amendment to s. 1963." i ask, mr. president, unanimous consent that this letter be included in the record. the presiding officer: without

3:57:33 to 3:57:55( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: objection, so ordered. mr. aka aka: the proponent of this amendment has expressed the view that this veterans omnibus bill should be paid for and seeks to do so by directing a transfer from the state department to v.a. or funds appropriated for contributions to international

3:57:56 to 3:58:17( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: organizations and contributions for international peacekeeping activities. both of which are categories of huge u.s. payments t the united nations regardless of any senator's beliefs about the role of the united nations or u.s. support for the u.n., this is neither

3:58:18 to 3:58:39( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: the debating those issues. and for that reason alone, i believe the amendment should be rejected. i understand from c.b.o., however, that this amendment does not even accomplh what i believe the amendment's author intends. according to c.b.o., costs of

3:58:40 to 3:59:00( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: the bill would still be estimated at the same level. according to c.b.o., having the state department transfer funds to the v.a. is no different than having v.a. fund it through its own appropriation accounts. it also appears that the

3:59:01 to 3:59:23( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: amendment would change nothing with respect to u.s. payments to the u.n. again, according to c.b.o., if the amendment's author wishes to have the state department transfer funds to v.a. instead of contributing to the u.n., the amendment would havto be made

3:59:24 to 3:59:44( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: to the state foreign operations and related programs appropriations acts and not to the pending measure, which is an authorization bill. mr. president, this legislation has been delayed too long continue tobstruct this vital veterans bill by attempting to link it completely to unrelated

3:59:45 to 4:00:04( Edit History Discussion )

Don Cazayoux: u.n. spending unacceptable. this amendment should be rejected and s. 1963 should be passed by the senate. mr. chairman, i yield the floor and reserve the b