GOP Blocks Aid for Paralyzed Vets Bill

Support our troops? How about continuing support after they are injured?

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Act, named for the late Christopher Reeve, Superman actor who was later paralyzed and his late wife, was passed by the House of Representatives last year but not by the Senate.

The latest attempt to pass the bill, which has, according to the Navy Times, continued to be blocked by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) through the use procedural means (such as filibusters), involved bundling it in as one of 36 bills into the Advancing America’s Priorities Act.

Most of these bills were thought be be non-contentious.

However, the vote failed 50 - 42 on Tuesday, falling short of the 60 necessary to block said filibuster.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Act has the backing of Paralyzed Veterans of America and would have provided $25 million for clinical research on spinal cord injuries, rehabilitation research and programs to improve the quality of life of people who are paralyzed.

Lee Page, associate advocacy director for Paralyzed Veterans for America said:

“We have a war with many veterans who suffer some from spinal cord injuries or paralysis.”

Meanwhile, the GOP seems to think that gasoline prices are far more important than improving the lives of veterans. According to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY):

"They're using every trick to get us away from dealing with high gas prices."

So now veterans are a trick?