Rehberg's Ideas Don't Amount to Much

I especially love (0.00 / 0)

Cathy's choice in title.

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by: jhwygirl @ Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 16:57:04 PM UTC

I'm going to do something totally from out in left field here, (0.00 / 0)

and praise Rehberg for one major accomplishment this year.

If you haven't had a chance to read Matthew Frank's most excellent piece in last weeks MIssoula Independent, "The war at home", by all means do.

Frank explores PTSD in soldiers returning from war, and the struggles they, their families, friends and communities go through as they try to heal and reintegrate themselves into their post warrior lives. Frank also plugs Rehberg's Post-Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009 that was attached to the National Defense Authorization Act a few weeks ago, and passed the House. It's companion bill in the Senate most likely will include the provision, and should be signed by Obama soon.

A national model

The Montana National Guard takes pride in the fact that its Yellow Ribbon Program does more than any other state to screen for and treat PTSD. In fact, federal legislation modeled after the program, pushed by Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Denny Rehberg, is likely to reach President Obama's desk this month. Combined with the boots-on-the-ground work being done around Montana in vet-to-vet groups, the state leads the country in the fight against PTSD.

So whatever we think about Rehberg and/or the Iraq/Afghanistan wars, in this case he's done the right thing. Soldiers returning from war with PSTD affects us all, not just the soldiers and their immediate families, and it is our responsibility to assure them the best care available.

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by: JC @ Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 20:18:04 PM UTC

I believe it was Baucus who did most of the work on this. (0.00 / 0)

Plus, Rehberg has a long record of voting against veterans health care.

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by: Montana Cowgirl @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 00:11:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Rehberg (0.00 / 0)

was the House sponsor for this. That's all I'm saying. Nothing more, nothing less. This is one issue, not to be confused with the myriad of other bad ones that Rehberg has his fingerprints all over.

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by: JC @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 00:24:19 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Rehberg actually has a long record of voting against the troops. (0.00 / 0)

Representative Rehberg's long record of saying "NO" our troops and veterans:

Rehberg opposed providing 14,000 new housing vouchers to help homeless and disabled veterans. [Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 (H R 1105)]

By saying no to the Congressional Budget for FY 2010 (S Con Res 13) Representative Rehberg opposed :

Montana Cowgirl :: Rehberg Loves the Limelight - Troops and Veterans Not So Much
--Providing a $5.6 billion increase for veterans' health care and other services.
--Ending the Bush Administration's ban on enrolling modest-income veterans in VA health care.

--Allowing Congress to provide VA medical funding a year in advance.

By saying no to the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (HR 1) , Representative Rehberg opposed:

--Helping more unemployed veterans find jobs through expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

--Helping disabled veterans receiving benefits from the VA through providing a $250 one-time payment.

--Improving hospitals for our troops by providing $1.2 billion to rebuild and renovate aging military hospitals and veterans' medical facilities.

--Helping troops and their families keep their homes by providing $555 million to assist military homeowners, wounded warriors, and surviving spouses who have been impacted by the housing crisis.

--Expanding child care for military families by providing $240 million for new child development centers on military bases across the country.

--Helping wounded warriors and their families when they return from combat by providing $100 million for warrior transition complexes that provide critical services.

--Reducing the backlog of VA claims processing through a $150 million investment claims processing staff and an additional $50 million to improve the automation of VA claims processing.

--Making more energy efficient DOD facilities by providing $4.2 billion to invest in energy efficiency projects on DOD facilities across the country.  

--Improving National Guard facilities by providing $100 million for new construction of operations and training facilities to support National Guard units around the country.

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by: Montana Cowgirl @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 00:16:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Really? (0.00 / 0)

Did you just pull this shit again?

You don't have to cite your sources every time, but when you copy and paste something directly from someone else's website, you may want to use the blockquote function.

Not to mention you're continuing to be a tool.  Voting against a giant budget does NOT mean that the person who does the voting is against every item in the budget.  You're being deliberately dishonest, and I expect you'll continue to ignore anybody who suggests as much.

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by: SteveT. @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 01:52:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]