Caregivers bill may move ahead

Bill had stalled over GOP Senator's objection.

A bill to help homecare providers for disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars may be considered next week.

The Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009 (S 1963 ) hit a snag earlier this week when Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma objected, but Democratic leaders say they have a tentative agreement with him, reports CQ's Frank Oliveri.

Coburn's main argument was that the $3.7 billion the bill is estimated to cost over five years was not offset by spending cuts elsewhere in the budget, but he also thought the bill should apply to all veterans.

His objection prevented the bill from sailing through the Senate by unanimous consent on Veteran's Day, as originally planned.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Coburn was being "illogical" since he had voted for the first supplemental war funding bill, but Coburn's staffers responded that he had voted against other supplemental bills that did not offset spending.

-- Ryan Teague Beckwith, Congress.org

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