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GOP blocks veterans jobs bill with budget vote

danarhea

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Senate Republicans stopped the veterans jobs bill Wednesday by forcing a budget point of order vote.

So what's this about Republicans not supporting the troops, and doing whatever they can do kill jobs?

Well, actually, it's not like that. This spending bill originated in the Senate. According to the Constitution, all spending bills must originate in the House. The GOP is actually right in doing what they did.

But that's not going to help them. The Democrats are pulling out all the stops to make the GOP look anti American here. What does that mean? It means that the political douche baggery belongs to the Democrats this time.

Article is here.
 
I admire the spin, though.

“This point of order puts a price on what we are willing to provide our veterans and it says ‘not a penny more,’ ” Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said before the vote. “It’s a point of order that will not only kill our ability to pass this bill, but that could also affect nearly every effort we make to improve the lives of veterans going forward.”
 
Yep. Politics as usual. The White House has already posted a comment less than an hour ago (current time as I write this, before taking days to be moderated, is 2150 hours UCT (5:50pm Eastern) on 19-SEP-2012). More fodder for the Obama Presidential campaign ads - coming to a TV near you.

The Army Times has an article, "Senator rips Obama’s new veterans jobs plan" where Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) make several good points, such as there are already six "job programs" for veterans. (Side Note: I am a disabled veteran, 1971-1973).
 
We Veterans and Service Members are always used by the Political Machine to get what they want.
 
“This violates the Budget Control Act, there is no dispute about it,” Sessions said in a floor speech Wednesday. “The bill will not even go through the House and it violates the Constitution because it says revenue bills must be started in the House ... [and] this is a revenue bill.”

GOP blocks veterans jobs bill with budget vote - The Hill's Floor Action

The headline should be "Democrats violate law with revenue bill through Senate." But that's not in keeping with the media applied spin.
 
So what's this about Republicans not supporting the troops, and doing whatever they can do kill jobs?

Well, actually, it's not like that. This spending bill originated in the Senate. According to the Constitution, all spending bills must originate in the House. The GOP is actually right in doing what they did.

But that's not going to help them. The Democrats are pulling out all the stops to make the GOP look anti American here. What does that mean? It means that the political douche baggery belongs to the Democrats this time.

Article is here.


However, the point of order could have been waived to get this bill through. A couple republicans voted for the bill

This is just clearly the republicans not wanting to help workers in the US. What else could it be?

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (R-Ill.) requested a motion to waive the budget point of order, which was raised by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). Democrats needed 60 votes, but got only 58.

“This violates the Budget Control Act, there is no dispute about it,” Sessions said in a floor speech Wednesday. “The bill will not even go through the House and it violates the Constitution because it says revenue bills must be started in the House ... [and] this is a revenue bill.”

The Veterans Jobs Corp Act would have created new job-training programs to help veterans find work in targeted fields such as national park conservation, historic preservation projects, police work and firefighting, among others.

Sens. Scott Brown (Mass.), Susan Collins (Maine), Dean Heller (Nev.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) were the only Republicans who voted for the waiver, in a 58-40 vote.

“It’s clear that commonsense bipartisan legislation is being thwarted in this chamber over politics,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who sponsored the bill.
 
GOP blocks veterans jobs bill with budget vote - The Hill's Floor Action

The headline should be "Democrats violate law with revenue bill through Senate." But that's not in keeping with the media applied spin.


Not really. Did you read the article?

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (R-Ill.) requested a motion to waive the budget point of order, which was raised by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). Democrats needed 60 votes, but got only 58.

It was constitutional to waive the budget point of order. Sessions protested it and the democrats did not get yet ANOTHER jobs bill through. This one to help veterans.

Like their First Responder blockage for health care, republicans are proving they don't care about Americans who protect our nation.

Senate GOP blocks 9/11 first responders health plan bill - The Hill's Healthwatch
 
Terrific! They can keep the unemployment figures up, and then blame it on Obama.
 
However, the point of order could have been waived to get this bill through. A couple republicans voted for the bill

This is just clearly the republicans not wanting to help workers in the US. What else could it be?

Yes, the point of order could have been waved, had enough Senators come out in favor of doing business unconstitutionally.
 
... republicans are proving they don't care about Americans who protect our nation.

Senate GOP blocks 9/11 first responders health plan bill - The Hill's Healthwatch

There were sixty amendments to "the bill.". Have you read all sixty to see what's in them?

For example, Senator Hatch wanted to add "The maximum age limit for an original appointment to a position as a law enforcement officer (as defined in section 8401(17)) shall be 47 years of age, in the case of an individual who on the effective date of such appointment is eligible to receive retired pay or retainer pay for military service, or pension or compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs instead of such retired or retainer pay." Well, as a Vietnam-era disabled veteran, that leaves me out. Ain't that a bite in the [expletive omitted].

And I see that Senator Paul added an amendment to the bill (SA 2815) which included important Veterans Job stuff like "Except as provided under subsection (b), no amounts may be obligated or expended to provide any direct United States assistance, loan guarantee, or debt relief to the Government of Egypt or the Government of Libya."

At the same link above, I see that Senator Collins thought it was import to add "Sec. 10. Prescription Drug Take-Back Program For Members Of The Armed Forces, Their Dependents, And Veterans." Yep, prescription drug programs are important in a Veterans Job bill.

There are tons of amendments for you to review. I haven't had time to review all of them, but it looks like a lot more than just a "Veteran Job Bill" to me. Perhaps those dastardly Republicans had other reasons for voting against the bill, other than that Constitutional-thing?
 
Fabulous!!! It seems all my links above to the Library of Congress are temporary. Hey, why should the Government want you to link to anything so unimportant as, oh, Congressional records and proceedings?

To read the 60 amendments to the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012, do the following... Go to:

Search Bill Summary & Status - 112th Congress - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

In the "Enter Search" box, type: Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012

Click Search.

On the following page, click "Amendments"

You will find 60 amendments. All of them will say "See Congressional Record for text." Bummer, huh? Hey, NOTHING in the Government is easy! Keep working, Comrade...

On amendment 1, click "S.AMDT.2780"

Next page, after "TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED:" click on "CR S6065" (that's the "Congressional Record" page 6,065 in case you were wondering. Those Senators talk a lot.)

Next page, after "3 . TEXT OF AMENDMENTS" click on "(Senate - September 10, 2012)"

The first thing amended to the "Veterans Job" bill by Senator Casey is a change to... wait for it... "Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986."

Job Bill. Right. And my cat can scuba dive. Enjoy!
 
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We Veterans and Service Members are always used by the Political Machine to get what they want.

I think it's a shame, both sides tend to do that and it disgusts me.
 
Senate Dems do not care. ObamaCare was passed without regard for the origination clause.
 
Yes, the point of order could have been waved, had enough Senators come out in favor of doing business unconstitutionally.

So this is the first time the Senate, or the House for that matter, has moved to wave the Constitution in order to pass a bill? I think not Dana.
 
Not really. Did you read the article?



It was constitutional to waive the budget point of order. Sessions protested it and the democrats did not get yet ANOTHER jobs bill through. This one to help veterans.

Like their First Responder blockage for health care, republicans are proving they don't care about Americans who protect our nation.

Senate GOP blocks 9/11 first responders health plan bill - The Hill's Healthwatch


Dem's love people like you. Cannot afford the spending, don't do it the right way... claim the GOP hates Veterans, watch as you and others salivate to the ringing bell. It is sad. When are you gonna realize the game here? You think this bill was about Veterans? HA! Government is the reason there are no "Jobs". Or didn't the Great Depression teach you this? They wrote this for the political game. "Look we tried to solve this terrible issue! See we CARE!"

WAKE UP PEOPLE. Government ain't the answer.
 
Isn' t blocking a veterans jobs bill a sign of being a Marxist or a communist or at the very least anti-military? ;)
 
Isn' t blocking a veterans jobs bill a sign of being a Marxist or a communist or at the very least anti-military? ;)

Only if you're completely incapable or unwilling to actually investigate the reasons for the blockage and instead take the opposition's argument as gospel truth.
 
So this is the first time the Senate, or the House for that matter, has moved to wave the Constitution in order to pass a bill? I think not Dana.

I don't care if it's the first time or the thousanth time. ALL budget bills MUST originate in the House. Period. It's in the Constitution, or is the Constitution toilet paper to you?
 
Only if you're completely incapable or unwilling to actually investigate the reasons for the blockage and instead take the opposition's argument as gospel truth.

Perhaps you missed the winking emoticon at the end of my post indicating the wry humor in the post?
 
Terrific! They can keep the unemployment figures up, and then blame it on Obama.

How about we actually run the Government the way the rules say we're supposed to, Rosie? Would that be so difficult?
 
Isn' t blocking a veterans jobs bill a sign of being a Marxist or a communist or at the very least anti-military? ;)

Not when the reason for doing so is simply that the bill has not followed the legitimate path for a bill of its type.
 
Actually, you are wrong about the type of bill it was. Budget bills (meaning the legislation for the entire budget) begin in the house, a bill is not a budget bill just because it entails spending money. It was completely appropriate to begin in the senate.

So what's this about Republicans not supporting the troops, and doing whatever they can do kill jobs?

Well, actually, it's not like that. This spending bill originated in the Senate. According to the Constitution, all spending bills must originate in the House. The GOP is actually right in doing what they did.

But that's not going to help them. The Democrats are pulling out all the stops to make the GOP look anti American here. What does that mean? It means that the political douche baggery belongs to the Democrats this time.

Article is here.
 
Does anyone here have the actual number/title of the bill so some of us can look at what else was in the bill? Further, is this yet another attempt by Dems to bypass the Constitution to get what they want passed? Was this only a veterans job bill? Or was it something else that the Dems decided to put the veterans job bill into so that they would have a claim that the Reps were acting against Veterans when it was shot down? If the Dems really cared about veteran jobs, then why attach it to a budget bill instead of making it a separate bill and allow it to stand by itself without having other attachments to it?

I don't think whom ever is running the Romney campaign is doing a very good job of managing some issues. Considering that he is running against the same "President" that called for making troops pay a greater share for their healthcare and then called them "selfish" for not being willing to make such a sacrifice for the "public good" and help controlling budget costs. The same one that has attacked veteran healthcare by raising/trying to raise co-pay for retired vets using the Tri-Care system. Vets who's original contract with the government was free healthcare for life, for themselves and their dependents, if they served to retirement.

I suspect this whole thing was an attempt by Dems to bypass the Constitution to get something they wanted while attaching something that would give them propaganda if it was not passed. (I have not read the actual bill yet, but hope to if I can find it.) The Romney campaign and any senate campaign should very loudly and very publicly call the Dems and Obama on this. This kind of treatment and trading on the sacrifices we vets have made for our country is just outright despicable.

The actual jobs bill does not affect me directly, I am 100% disabled and currently unemployable. However, I do take to heart and have a great interest in how our government treats the vets who sacrificed so much already and the active duty troops who will be vets and are currently sacrificing so much. Any politician, not just Obama, that places a greater value on social programs and welfare over caring for our vets is a despicable human being and unworthy to hold public office.
 
If their opposition is only procedural, shouldn't the Republicans block the bill and then submit their own version of it in the House?
 
Fabulous!!! It seems all my links above to the Library of Congress are temporary. Hey, why should the Government want you to link to anything so unimportant as, oh, Congressional records and proceedings?

To read the 60 amendments to the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012, do the following... Go to:

Search Bill Summary & Status - 112th Congress - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

In the "Enter Search" box, type: Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012

Click Search.

On the following page, click "Amendments"

You will find 60 amendments. All of them will say "See Congressional Record for text." Bummer, huh? Hey, NOTHING in the Government is easy! Keep working, Comrade...

On amendment 1, click "S.AMDT.2780"

Next page, after "TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED:" click on "CR S6065" (that's the "Congressional Record" page 6,065 in case you were wondering. Those Senators talk a lot.)

Next page, after "3 . TEXT OF AMENDMENTS" click on "(Senate - September 10, 2012)"

The first thing amended to the "Veterans Job" bill by Senator Casey is a change to... wait for it... "Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986."

Job Bill. Right. And my cat can scuba dive. Enjoy!

Thank you for the link. First, the exclusion from the benefits only includes those who are dishonorably discharged, can only happen if convicted in military court and all convictions are considered felonies. However, it appears to allow this benefit to those given a Bad Conduct Discharge, also only used as part of a conviction, and those who are discharged with a General Discharge, Under Other Than Honorable Conditions, used when someone accepts an Article 15, Non-Judicial punishment in lieu of a courts martial. Both of which excludes individual given those discharges from Veteran Benefits and the current G.I. Bill for education.

As for Amendments, lets see,
S.3457
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a 100% continuous levy upon the property and rights of Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) providers and suppliers neglecting or refusing to pay taxes.
Repeals provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 providing for a program for the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies for ultra-deepwater and unconventional natural gas and other petroleum resource exploration and production.

Permits the Secretary of State to deny, revoke, or limit a passport to any individual upon receiving certification from the Secretary of the Treasury that such individual has a delinquent tax debt in an amount in excess of $50,000.

S.AMDT.2781 TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED: CR S6110-6111 DIVISION A--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATIONS, et al,

Ok, what is defense authorizations and spending doing in a veterans job bill?

S.AMDT.2782, S.AMDT.2783,S.AMDT.2784,S.AMDT.2785,S.AMDT.2786,S.AMDT.2787,S.AMDT.2788,S.AMDT.2789 same as 2781 in intent. Just different Senators proposals. Should defense spending be included in a Veterans Job bill?

S.AMDT.2790 Includes things like requiring VA to dispose of controlled substances when surrendered to them, maybe not a bad thing, but should it be a jobs bill?
S.AMDT.2791 National right to work, hey all for it, but why is it snuck into a jobs bill?
etc, etc through all the other amendments.

So it is not just the Dems doing it. Although, the Reps may only have been reacting to proposals first entered by Dems, to me at least the whole thing is a bit confusing, so maybe not. Totally despicable by all involved. I can agree with the nature and spirit of the original bill, if it also excluded Bad Conduct Discharges and General Discharges Under Other Than Honorable Conditions. Since the original bill is not a "funding" bill, the Veterans Job Corps part could be introduced and passed by either House of Congress.
 
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