Moran vows to push veteran suicide prevention bill

LAWRENCE -- Sen. Jerry Moran is vowing to reintroduce legislation aimed at cutting the number of veteran suicides – up to 22 a day – that was blocked in the final days of the Congressional session.

Senators fled Washington earlier this week without taking action on the bill after Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican known for blocking legislation, stopped the bill from moving forward.

Coburn, who is leaving the Senate after 10 years, said the bill would do little to prevent suicides because it does not reform the scandal-plagued Department of Veterans Affairs. Moran, a Republican, slammed Coburn’s action late Wednesday.

“I was extremely disappointed that the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act was blocked from passage this week in the Senate after it unanimously passed the House. The average suicide rate among veterans is a troubling 22 deaths each day, and the legislation would be instrumental in developing a VA system capable of offering first-rate mental health care services, as well as utilize the expertise of outside organizations to provide support for those struggling with the invisible wounds of war,” Moran said in a statement to The Capital-Journal.

The legislation would have created a new peer support system for veterans as well as a new pilot loan repayment program for psychiatrists who serve in the Veterans Health Administration. Suicide prevention efforts also would be evaluated annually.

“Our military heroes deserve more than false promises. It is dishonest for Congress to pretend that passing yet another bill will finally solve the challenges plaguing the VA,” Coburn had said.

Moran did not appear to disagree with Coburn’s contention that reforms must continue to be made at the VA, though. Moran promised he would both urge and sponsor the reintroduction of the bill when the new Congress begins meeting in January. Both he and Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, have been vocal proponents of the bill.

“It is critical that the VA follow through on its commitment to our nation’s veterans – especially so families who have lost loved ones know the VA is committed to suicide prevention to care for others who served our country,” Moran said. “

"There should be no excuse for the VA bureaucracy, push back and delays, or acceptance that this is just the way the VA system works. Veterans must have a VA that was designed and created to take care of them, otherwise, people’s lives are lost.”