Senate GOP blocks veterans jobs bill

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. / CBS

(AP) WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans blocked legislation Wednesday that would have established a $1 billion jobs program putting veterans back to work tending to the country's federal lands and bolstering local police and fire departments.

Republicans said the spending authorized in the bill violated limits that Congress agreed to last year. Democrats fell two votes shy of the 60-vote majority needed to waive the objection, forcing the legislation back to committee.

Supporters loosely modeled their proposal after the President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps used during the Great Depression to put people to work planting trees, building parks and constructing dams. They said the latest monthly jobs report, showing a nearly 11 percent unemployment rate for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, merited action from Congress.

Democratic lawmakers turned to the legislation shortly before they'll adjourn for the finals weeks of this year's election campaigns. The bill had little chance of passing the House this Congress, but it still allowed senators to appeal to a key voting bloc.

"(With) a need so great as unemployed veterans, this is not the time to draw a technical line on the budget," said Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the bill's lead sponsor, who faces a competitive re-election battle.

Republicans said the effort to help veterans was noble, but the bill was flawed nevertheless.

For National Guard, civilian jobs hard to come by
After war, vets fight for jobs at home

Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said the federal government already has six job-training programs for veterans and there is no way to know how well they are working. He argued that making progress on the country's debt was the best way to help veterans in the long-term.

"We ought to do nothing now that makes the problem worse for our kids and grandkids," Coburn said.

Democratic officials did not have an estimate for how many veterans would be hired as a result of the legislation. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said much would depend upon the number of applicants. She noted that more than 720,000 veterans are unemployed across the nation, including 220,000 veterans who have served since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. She said putting veterans back to work was the cost of war.

"Instead of meeting us halfway, we have been met with resistance. Instead of saying yes to the nearly 1 million unemployed veterans, it seems some on the other side have spent the last week and a half seeking any way to say no," Murray said.

The advocacy group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America denounced the vote.

"This bill was smart bipartisan policy that would put veterans back into service for their communities as policemen, firefighters and first responders," the group's founder and chief executive, Paul Rieckhoff, said in statement. "The result of today's vote creates tremendous doubt that this Congress will be able to pass any additional veterans legislation in 2012. Iraq and Afghanistan veterans should not have to wait until 2013 for critical support from Congress."

A handful of Republicans joined with Democrats in voting to waive the objection to the bill: Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Dean Heller of Nevada, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Maine's Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Brown and Heller are also in tough re-election contests.

Heller said he was proud to support the bill.

"After everything our veterans have done for us, the least we can do is make sure they are afforded every opportunity to thrive here at home," Heller said.

[Chris_in_Florida]

That's the GOP for you: supports the troops until they are no longer useful, then tossed aside like a used condom. Great job.

[pastyears]

I personally believe that our representatives are in bed with each other so much that we need an overthrow or throw out the whole bunch and start over with a working class representative body that appreciates human sacrifice both civilian and military. When they meaning our representatives decide by a vote of 1 or 2 to stop a program of jobs creation then we are slaves to them if we allow them to take our jobs our homes and our lives away. It is time this country united and throw the bums out of office. Take America back vote independent cast a vote for your pastor your son or daughter but don't vote for money Romney and don't re-elect Obama the liar who said he was going to bring the big banks and brokers AIG and companies to justice. Another liar in office now vote em out. Keep America alive in our homes and hearts. Pray men of integrity come to the front.

[BigJeep4U]

hillzhaveays, You are correct. If there is already 6 other programs for the military and they are not doing what they are suppose to do than having another program is far from the solution. They need to get someone in there that knows what they are doing and combine all the programs and come up with ONE program that will surfice and handle what is equired. The government thinks if one thing fails, they add another and another and still have the same problem, ineffective. They need to solve the problem first. Democrats have gotten us in this financial disaster and still keep spending money as if there is pleanty of it. The only problem is we AMERICAN TAXPAYERS suffer for there incompetence and total LACK of experience and knowledge.

[pastyears]

The overseer whose going to trust any one big agency. Look at the DOD, DVA, CIA, and the Banks and Housing calamities. The problem is we just don't care enough about taking our government back and ensuring that men who represent the working class are in office. Most of the reps we have in office are big money people the rich the famous we elect the movie stars and forget about real Americans walking the streets going homeless, and no food shelter or clothing. Our government needs to take care of Americans first and then take care of those that are without.

[BigJeep4U]

It is obvious both parties are only concerned about there own employment. We need to revamp our entire government. None of the politicians are truly serving us. We need to redo the entire government pay scale, benefits,etc. They are SUPPOSE to SERVE us citizens. Politicians should have a term limit and their pensions should not be for life, this is absurd. We need FRESH new ideas constantly coming into politics.

[buudy1]

Where's John McCain when the veterans need him? McCain is voting with the the GOP to deny G I benefits once again. McCain is the first senator that wants to send American G I's off to war, kill or be killed in senseless bloodshed. BUT the same John McCain is the first senator to vote to DENY BENEFITS to the G I's. What a despicable two faced backstabber John McCain is. McCain certainly is NO friend of the veterans.

[takacrat]

What about the Civilians that also go in Arms Way to Help and Keep all of the Service's of these Fire Bases going. Allowing our Men and Women in Arms to rest in there MWR's, eat a hot meal fit for King's that that should be treated as, sleep in clean beds and have Clean Clothes to ware, showers to bath in, water to drink. Civilians get Killed to, besides getting injured. AIG has yet paid one single Penny on my Injuries that DOL ordered them to Pay, 5 times. AIG is taking this TAX PAYER MONEY and giving themselves BONUSES!!

[pastyears]

Some hero here. Comes home paid senator pay. Gets his 100% disability from VA + comp for prisoner of war. Which is all well and good. Then turns his back on the little guy My wife doesn't own Coors she can't work I have been fighting the VA for 45 years. Americans need to start electing the poor people to represent them because they are the ones who represent the majority of our classed society soon there will be no middle class it will be 90% poor 10% rich and we had better wake up to the fact shortly that kind of imbalance usually leads to intolerance. Which may lead to more war only at home this time.

[biggbrisk]

My two cents as a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan -- there is a fundamental difference in how Republicans and Democrats see the world. Republicans understand that the government is inefficient and not the best at fixing problems. As the article points out, there are already six job programs for veterans and a free GI Bill that will pay tuition and a housing allowance for 4-year college or vocational school certificate program. Read this article as the Republicans saying that they don't want to add to the $16 trillion debt with a program that is not very different than what's already in place. Veterans don't need another program. As a former president once said, it's the economy stupid.

[firstlisten62]

Obviously, if veterans continue to have a higher unemployment rate than the rest of America, there are still things to be done. Why are Republicans so hypocritical? You say, even though President Obama has stopped the bleeding of 750,000 jobs our economy was suffering, Obama's creating almost 5 million jobs is not good enough. You say, more needs to be done, even though the Dow has rebounded from 10,000 to 13,500. You say more needs to be done, even though the President introduced legislation to increase the life of Social Security and medicaid (which is for senior citizen healthcare and homes). Now, when veterans of the latest environment of war, needs assistance to be competitive and successful in to-day's job market, you say, "Veterans don't need another program," when they obviously do! Playing politics, in America's time of need, is inhumane and selfish. David Martinl100% disabled Veteran U.S. Army and Veteran of U.S. Marines

[mountainstates1]

Republicans are anti-American.

[BigJeep4U]

You really consider this an educated,factual comment? Liberals are unrealistic, hypocritical, lack of common sense, Narcissist, Socialist, Free Loaders! Obama has divided this country into 2 divisions, Liberals=SOCIALIST and Everyone else= AMERICANS

[pastyears]

Americans that vote party lines are just brain washed and think that one liar is better than another wake up we need to oust any man or woman that does not have the peoples interest at heart. Most of our elected officials have been and continue to be on the take and are at best profiteers and people with their own interests at heart.

[sinaisara]

Aren't these the same Republicans who want to continue this war and are complaining because the President is trying to bring our troops home? How is it that there is money to continue this war and yet no money to help the soldiers who have been risking their lives to protect our freedom and to make sure that Al Queda cannot ever again come ONTO AMERICAN SOIL to kill our people again? Oh wait, we don't need money for wars because apparently the Republicans find fighting wars to be patriotic but standing up for the brave men and women who serve AT THE RISK OF THEIR LIVES (not to mention the fact that thousands have given and are still giving the last full measure in this, our longest war ever.) is too expensive!!! We not only owe these brave people who serve, we owe their families. And I hate to bring an extra issue in, but we owe these families and loved ones --- (and at this point, I will lose some people, but it must be said) --- we OWE these families and loved ones no matter what their gender or living arrangements!! SHAME on the heads of the 40 Senators who voted no! And, just out of curiosity, in what world and in whose warped thinking is 58 FOR and 40 AGAINST a losing vote?? -- Kathryn Houseman Lobert

[dougsb]

you didn't lose me. We owe these families big time.

[Misty60]

If the Republicans think that will be getting the Military Vote this year, think again. I really have tried to stay open minded to the Republicans but if they are not doing their job,'you just gotta let them go. '

[Jahzera]

They wouldn't vote for assistance for the men and woman who put their lives on the line fighting a war America engaged them in because America can't afford it. But, in the GOP eyes, America can afford to give tax welfare to the very wealthiest and record setting profit earning corporations who can afford to do without it... which reduces government revenue. You know, that revenue that keeps the debt down.

[dougsb]

pretty freakin sad when they'll spend the money they didn't have to send them to war, but when it comes to trying to help them with jobs, they won't. They (GOP senate) should be ashamed of themselves. This is the height of hypocrisy. The amount of money spent on this jobs bill is minuscule compared to what we spent in Iraq. The GOP will sign nothing that will help Americans get jobs. I'm not an Obama supporter but it's very obvious what they are trying to do.