In June, the House voted 382-0 to pass the Blue Water Navy
Vietnam Veterans Act, which would extend veterans’ benefits to the numerous men
who served off the coast of Vietnam during the war. Many of these men have had
to spend a considerable part of their lives trying to prove that they were
exposed to Agent Orange, leading to some, if not most, of their health
problems. Since June, the act has been stuck in the Republican-led Senate. Last
Monday, Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) attempted to get the unanimous
consent of the Senate to pass the bill.
If the Senate can get unanimous consent on a bill, it can
move through approval considerably quicker, and this bill is a seeming
no-brainer for Democrats and Republicans. There are no “poison pills” attached
to the act, no secret money for food assistance (giving to people who need it
money for food is something that can really scare off Republican legislators).
The only drawback to asking for a unanimous approval on the Senate floor is
that the moment a single senator opposes the bill, the entire unanimous consent
enterprise is scuttled. Of course, who would object to extending healthcare
benefits to Vietnam veterans? Like, for real? Who? According to the Stars and
Stripes, that would be Senator Mike Enzi (WY-R), chairman of the Senate Budget
Committee.
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