Is Dr. Coburn Blocking Legislation Funding Breast Cancer Research?
Is Dr. Coburn Blocking Legislation Funding Breast Cancer Research?
The Senate is currently considering the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, legislation that would authorize $40 million per year over five years to fund research into the possible links between breast cancer and the environment. The proposal has over two-thirds support in the Senate.
But the bill’s passage has been stalled, as a senator placed a “hold” on it. Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released a statement announcing that a single Republican senator was blocking the bill. Reid called it “unconscionable” that one person would “singlehandedly block our ability to have a reasonable debate on a bill.”
It appears that this lone senator may be Dr. Tom Coburn (R-OK) — “an obstetrician who sees patients one morning a week.” Yesterday, when Reid brought the bill to the floor for a vote, Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) “objected” on behalf of Coburn:
REID: Upon the disposition of all amendments…the Senate proceed to vote on the passage of the bill as amended.
WEBB: Is there an objection? Senator from Arizona.
KYL: Mr. President, on behalf of Sen. Coburn, there is an objection.
WEBB: Objection is heard.
Watch the floor exchange:
The evidence strongly suggests it was Coburn who placed the hold. In 2006, he put a hold on the same bill, claiming it “would take the authority for research out of the hands of scientists and put it into the hands of politicians.”
In March, the Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee passed the breast cancer bill, overriding Coburn’s efforts to amend it. Coburn reportedly unleashed the “threat of 15 amendments” to alter the legislation.
Despite being an obstetrician, Coburn’s record on women’s rights and health care is abysmal and at times, even offensive. In 2005, he proclaimed that silicone breast implants “make you healthier.” When running for Senate in 2004, he suggested the death penalty for abortion doctors.
ThinkProgress contacted Coburn’s office multiple times but received no response.
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Isn’t Oklahoma where Sally Kern comes from, too? Aren’t there any rational people in that state?
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:50 pm1. It doesn’t matter if the victim is a virgin, she must be the right kind, a Christian virgin…*rolls eyes
Wait, why we couldn’t do that when the Rethugs were forcing down un-AMERICAN bills such as the Bankruptcy Bill down our throats?
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:50 pmWhy does Sen. Coburn hate breasts?
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:00 pmWell, at least now we know that Craig Vitter isn’t the only ass man in the Senate.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:08 pmOh, the ever-lasting shills of Oklahoma . . . .
Thanks and a tip of the hatlo hat to John Kyl, Arlene’s boy and former (?) lobbyist!
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:16 pmI used to live in Oklahoma and you can’t walk down the street without tripping over idiots like coburn. There are some normal people there but are real hard to find. It’s kinda sad really because the state is really beauitful, at least in the eastern part where I lived.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:19 pmWell great — first we get Sen. “Dr.” Frist diagnosing brain activity from the senate floor, and now we get Sen. “Dr.” Coburn underfunding cancer research from the senate floor. These rethug sena-docs can’t do either job right, can they?
It’s just too bad that “Dr.” Coburn can’t be like Dumbya’s favorite Ob-Gyns, practicing his love with all the women throughout the country…
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:22 pmIs Dr. Coburn make’s a very good point here. For people who hate the government as much as Progressives do, you sure want them to have a lot of power!
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:33 pmIs there some secret award for the craziest republican act every year? They hand out statues called “Dummies” or something? If there’s any justice in the world every woman he loves would get brest cancer and whither and die in front of this a$$.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:35 pmGo back to Planet Nine Omicron, your logic chip is malfunctioning. You’re creating properly sequenced word strings but they don’t make any sense. Just because progressives are against the republican face of facism it doesn’t mean we’re against all government. idiot.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 pmCancer is a big money maker for fools like coburn, that’s why he doesn’t want a cure. He is only a right to lifer for babies after that we can all get cancer for all he cares. What a sad pathetic bastard he truly is. He also wanted to pass some wierd anti-gay law because he said agressive lesbians were “recruiting” in High School bathrooms, like I said pathetic.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 pmL. Hussein Annie Says:
Why does Sen. Coburn hate breasts?
Priceless! That was the first thing I thought of when I read it. Twisted minds think alike.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 pmI disagree, I visited Oklahoma many times for long periods of time and find it extremely racist, ugly, and backwards!
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:40 pmSo a republican medical doctor doesn’t want to treat illness – yeah, that sounds about right. And a ‘hold’? Is that even in our Constitution? Where does one person have the ability to thwart the will of the people – I mean besides the Bush admininstration? Oh….Coburn and Kyl are step children of the current administration. How quaint.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:43 pmMaybe these women with breast cancer aren’t praying enough. Cancer is God’s punishment.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 pmThe US Senate website has this to say about holds:
Maybe the Majority Leader needs to strap up and ignore the Senator’s “wishes”.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:53 pmCancer is a mean, ugly, cruel disease. It can and does kill, slowly and mercilessly. How can anyone professing to be a Christian, much less a Doctor, stand by and activly block legislation like this? Senator Coburn should spend the next few weeks in a chemo center to get a better grasp on the facts, and the cost of inaction. I’d call him a Doctor, but I have considerable respect for Doctors.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:58 pmThis just the beginning of stopping medical help to woman. Look as the Law Makers, White House and Supreme Court sees it to reduce the Social Security roles just let woman die since they live longer. I know the Pharmaceutical companies are doing their part with the killer pills while blaming China.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:07 pmMcCain knocks Obama for his remarks about Coburn. I certainly hope McCain is aware of this, and realizes we do not want to hear his name waved around like the guy had an ethical bone in his body! Breast Cancer is such a scurge on all womanhood. If it has to happen to anyone, it may be benefitial if it were within Coburn’s circle of accquaintences! Sound heartless? Screw him!
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:44 pmI’m getting tired of this “hold” business. Fu(k the rules, Reid, and bring it up for a vote anyway. If Coburn can’t convince a majority of his colleagues that he’s right and they’re wrong, then why should he be able to hold up the bill from its inevitable passage?
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:49 pmI’m sure Reid will send a stern letter.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:27 pmThat rule/procedure of stopping a bill from proceding is outrageous along the same line of the signing statements by the president. These people work for us. When we vote we want representation. That is why I will never vote again. It is bad enough that the Democrats have the majority and do nothing. The whole govt. is corrupt. It is time for a democratic socialist party to control big business like the oil companies. Nationalize them if they can’t control themselves.
Had enough of this shit.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:50 pmOh yes I forgot anarchy. Why can’t we organize a national strike. Have truck drivers block interstate roads outside the cities for a few hours each day. Then move closer in on the cities. Make a statement about big oil robbing the people. Use cars and trucks to block traffic in the cities and clog the courts when they contest their fines.
We are a sheeple. Just go along with whatever the govt. and the big companies want to do.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:57 pmIf attorneys like Scooter Libby can be disbarred, Senator Coburn should similarly have his medical license taken away. And why would any self-respecting woman want to be treated by this misogynist in the first place?
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:04 amThe evidence strongly suggests it was Coburn who placed the hold. In 2006, he put a hold on the same bill, claiming it “would take the authority for research out of the hands of scientists and put it into the hands of politicians.”
In March, the Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee passed the breast cancer bill, overriding Coburn’s efforts to amend it. Coburn reportedly unleashed the “threat of 15 amendments” to alter the legislation.
Obstetrician? Or obstructionist?
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:24 amThe evidence strongly suggests it was Coburn who placed the hold. In 2006, he put a hold on the same bill, claiming it “would take the authority for research out of the hands of scientists and put it into the hands of politicians.”
So this politician completely stops it? It makes sense, if you’re a republican.
Pot, meet kettle.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:59 amMcCain knocks Obama for his remarks about Coburn. I certainly hope McCain is aware of this, and realizes we do not want to hear his name waved around like the guy had an ethical bone in his body! Breast Cancer is such a scurge on all womanhood. If it has to happen to anyone, it may be fujitsu fpcbp64 battery,fujitsu s2000 battery benefitial if it were within Coburn’s circle of accquaintences! Sound heartless? Screw him!
October 15th, 2008 at 8:18 am