TAKE ACTION: Veterans Pain Bill to be Considered in the Senate This Week!

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American Pain Foundation http://www.painfoundation.org/ Alert:

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED:

Veterans Pain Bill to be Considered in the Senate This Week!

TAKE ACTION NOW! Senator Akaka, Chairman of the Veterans Committee, introduced the Veterans Pain Care Policy Act of 2007 (S2160) that would require the Veterans Administration (VA) to establish a comprehensive pain management program for Veterans. This legislation has now been revised and supported by Senator Burr, Ranking Minority Member of the Veterans Committee. The content of the Veterans Pain Care Policy Act has now been incorporated into S 2162, as amended. It is expected that the combined legislation will to be considered by the full Senate later this week. We are asking that you contact your Senator TODAY to request their support for this critical Veterans Legislation.

Click here to send a letter -

https://secure2.convio.net/apf/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=251

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Thank you! With suicides becoming more of a threat then the actual War from those suffering with brain and mental issues we need to stand up for our Veterans!

More at this article:

VA blasted over veterans suicides

By Lisa Desjardins
CNN Radio

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The chairman of the House Veterans Committee blasted the Veterans Affairs Department on Tuesday, accusing the agency of criminal failure to respond to evidence of rising suicide rates among former soldiers. The Veterans Affairs Department was accused Tuesday of covering up veterans' suicide rates.

"This is a matter of life and death," said Chairman Bob Filner, D-California, "and I think there was criminal negligence in the way this was handled."

In a follow-up hearing on the veteran suicide issue, Filner insisted the VA either ignored critical suicide data or covered up the numbers. "The pattern is deny, deny, deny," Filner told Veterans Secretary Jim Peake, "then when facts seemingly come to disagree with the denial, you cover up, cover up, cover up."

The committee was reacting to a December hearing in which Ira Katz, the VA's chief for mental health, insisted suicide data reported in the media had been exaggerated. Three days after his testimony, Filner said, the agency indicated some alarming statistics could, in fact, be correct.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/06/house.veterans/?iref=hpmostpop