Congress Fails To Pass Va Medical Marijuana Provision

[swamper]

Will the mods delete this post also? There is no anti-Clinton rhetoric so it might pass. Get real people.

 

 

Congress fails veterans

 

 

 

Veterans pressing Congress to let VA doctors recommend medical marijuana for their patients in states where the drug is considered legal had their hopes dashed last month when Congress passed a pared version of the Veterans Affairs funding bill without the marijuana provision.

The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill originally included the Veterans Equal Access amendment, which would have let Veterans Affairs physicians discuss medical marijuana with their patients and complete the paperwork required by some states to purchase it.

The amendment passed the House in May, 295-129, and the Senate, 89-8. But in June, the provision was removed from the final version of the larger appropriations bill by the conference committee established to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions.

Supporters such as Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and ​Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., lobbied congressional leaders​ to reinstate the amendment but they were unsuccessful.

"It’s incredibly frustrating and disappointing that despite broad bipartisan, bicameral support, a handful of out-of-touch lawmakers put politics over the well-being of America’s wounded warriors. Our veterans deserve better,” said Blumenauer after the Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2017 passed.

Veterans seeking to use marijuana to alleviate pain and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder must continue going to a private physician for a recommendation and will continue to pay out-of-pocket for the drug.

Even if the measure had passed, veterans would have been required to pay for the marijuana themselves, as the drug remains illegal under federal law.

By regulation, veterans cannot lose their VA disability or health benefits if they are found to use medical marijuana.

Their doctors can decide, however, to reduce a patient's access to pain medications, including opioids, if the veteran uses medical marijuana and the physician believes they may be at risk for drug interaction. The decision is made on a case-by-case basis. (yeah right)

Medical marijuana is legal in 25 states plus the District of Columbia, although states differ on the medical conditions for which it can be prescribed.

The Veterans Affairs Department recommends its physicians use "evidence-based" practices — therapies proved by scientific research to be effective — to treat mental and physical health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and pain.There has been no research in the U.S. on the effectiveness of medical marijuana for relieving symptoms of PTSD or other conditions, although some veterans groups and marijuana legalization advocates say it helps relieve symptoms of combat-related PTSD and anxiety.

A study is underway in Arizona and Maryland on the effectiveness of marijuana to treat PTSD. Results from that research are not expected for at least 18 months to two years.

Blumenauer pledged to keep fighting to overturn VA’s policy that restricts doctors from recommending the drug for their patients.“We will continue to seek every opportunity to make sure they have fair and equal treatment and the ability to consult with, and seek a recommendation from, their personal VA physician about medical marijuana,” he said.

[cristinew]

Veterans and chronically ill left it the dust,.. Again,

[cristinew]

We can point the blame @ whomever so i will..  But where is ASA Normal ect When it comes to vets and chronically ill patients denied cannabis and pain meds Where are they busy lobbing for dispensaries so they can profit selling cannabis to kids with fake back problems.

[+Malamute]

the republican run congress sux. I am unsurprised.

[beourbud]

Show your family you care, Vote Every fknrepublican OUT of office this November

[cristinew]

Where were the democrats? 

[trichcycler]

Where were the democrats? 

like^

[beourbud]

You guys miss the repub majority part?

[+Malamute]

Washington, D.C. - On Thursday, news broke that the Veterans Equal Access Amendment had been stripped from the House Conference Report of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017. The provision was removed from the conference version of the bill, despite passing in the Senate Appropriations Committee 20-9, and on the House floor 233-189. The removal of an amendment to an appropriations bill that has been approved in both chambers is unprecedented and defies explanation.

“Blocking this amendment at the conference committee stage is an assault on democracy and those Americans who risked their lives and health to defend it,” said Michael Liszewski, Government Affairs Director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA). “It’s shocking that House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers would allow a veterans health care provision that won by wide margins in a Senate committee and on the House floor to be stripped from the bill behind closed doors.”

 

 

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House Republicans Strip Veterans Equal Access Amendment In Dead Of Night

 

 

On Wednesday, in the dead of night, as House Democrats held a sit-in for gun safety, House Republicans stripped language that would make it easier for qualified veterans to access state-legal medical marijuana from legislation to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). With no transparency and little opportunity for Members to review, the House passed the legislation shortly after 3:00 AM (ET) that night. The Senate will vote on the legislation next.

 

Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) released the following statement:

 

“Our language ensuring fair treatment for our veterans had broad, bipartisan support and passed both Chambers—it’s outrageous that it was removed. To add insult to injury, the legislation was released in the middle of the night, not even giving Members of the House an opportunity to review the language before voting on it. This isn’t right for our veterans, or the American people. We will keep fighting to make sure our wounded warriors have equal treatment and the ability to consult with their VA medical providers about medical marijuana as a treatment option.”

 

Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms allowing a qualified veteran to participate in a state medical marijuana program. This forces veterans out of the VA system to seek a simple recommendation for treatment for eligible conditions under state laws.

 

On May 19, when the U.S. House of Representatives considered the FY 2017 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, it passed Representative Blumenauer’s Veterans Equal Access Amendment, which would prevent the VA from implementing this prohibition. The amendment passed by 233-189. In April, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed a similar amendment offered by Senator Merkley to the Senate version of the legislation.

 

Roll call vote:

 

Republicans: 184 NO votes

                       57 Yes votes

 

Democrats: 176 YES votes

                     5 NO votes

 

77% of Republicans voted against it.

97+% of democrats voted for it.

 

 

 REPUBLICANS STRIPPED IT FROM THE BILL.

 

:-)

[+Malamute]

Also this is where the republicans fake rule called the "Hastert rule" came into play.  Republicans wont allow a bill to pass unless a majority of the majority(themselves) vote yes.

 

 In this case House republicans rejected this amendment 184-57. So they stripped it since they have the majority.

[trichcycler]

why is america historically so goshdammed mean to vets?

[beourbud]

why is america historically so goshdammed mean to vets?

The last just war was WWII

 

After that it was just war ,for profit. People are expendable.

 

It's the republican way.

[+Malamute]

why is america historically so goshdammed mean to vets?

 

 

You mean, why are "republicans" historically mean to veterans post service?

 

Heh... they be acting like they love veterans but their voting records show otherwise almost every time.

[+Malamute]

But Kudos to the 57 republicans that did manage to vote for it( my rep, thank you).

 

And curse the 5 democrats that voted against it.

[t-pain]

77% of Republicans voted against it.

97+% of democrats voted for it.

so? WHAT ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS? WHY DIDNT THEY WAVE THEIR ARMS AND MAGIC WANDS AND FIX IT? HUHH???

 

you dont have an answer to that, MAL!

 

thats why i'm voting republican! because the democrats cant get it done!

 

(this is satire btw)

[cristinew]

Where is the democratic legislation to fix this?   We democrats had the house senate and pres for 2 years why did they not pass a law back then? ..

 

Roll call vote:

 

Republicans: 184 NO votes

                       57 Yes votes

 

Democrats: 176 YES votes

                     5 NO votes

this vote was after they stripped the MM part.

[t-pain]

Maybe they want better republicans?

[cristinew]

I  want better Democrats , And better republicans, 

Edited October 7, 2016 by cristinew

[Restorium2]

I  want better Democrats , And better republicans, 

Get rid of more of the worst R's and the D's act better. It's like an unruly class room, when you have so many thugs nothing can get done, even by the good kids.