It only took the votes of just three (3) U.S. Senators to halt the progress of bringing Senate Bill 326 to the chamber floor of the Senate for a discussion of the merits of the proposed legislation.
An article appearing in the March 8, 2023 issue of the Clermont Sun newspaper discussed, in detail, the merits of the proposed bipartisan VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act. The House of Representatives companion bill for Senate Bill 326 is H.R. 1003.
This proposed legislation would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an 18-month trial study on the effects of cannabis on certain health outcomes of disabled veterans. The research would focus on chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suffered by veterans.
It was voted unanimously out of the Senate’s Veterans Affairs Committee on April 20, 2023, and brought up for a vote for debate on April 26, 2023.
The Senate has an established procedure in which sixty (60) or more Senators must vote to begin the debate on the chamber floors.
This vote was documented as Vote Number #97. The final vote had fifty-seven (57) Senators willing to begin the debate and forty-two (42) Senators refusing to discuss the proposed Senate Bill. A California Senator was not present for the vote.
The voting followed political Party lines. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown voted “yea” with the fifty-six (56) other Senators to discuss the proposed legislation which would have researched the effects of cannabis on veterans suffering from PTSD. The forty-two (42) negative voted “nay” on the bill for discussion were Republican Senators.
Eight (8) Republican Senators voted “yea” to discuss the proposed legislation. They were: Senators Bill Cassidy; Susan Collins; Josh Hawley; Jerry Moran; Lisa Murkowski; Eric Schmitt; Dan Sullivan; and Mike Rounds.
One (1) of the confusing aspects of the vote was the vote of Senator Todd Young, a Republican from the State of Indiana. He was a co-sponsor of the proposed Senate Bill on April 25, 2023, but voted “nay” on Vote #97 on April 26, 2023.
In addition to the VA’s PTSD cannabis research study, three (3) other accompanying bills also were negatively impacted by Vote Number #97.
The Elizabeth Dole Veterans Improvement Act included provisions to improve outreach to veterans; expand long-term care options; increase support for caregivers; and extend additional home loans to Native American veterans. This Act was also stopped dead in its’ tracks, without the required Senate debate on the proposal.
To be specific, S. 326 would be only an 18-month observational study of the effects of cannabis, not on wide-scale distribution to disabled veterans suffering from PTSD or chronic back pain. Following the completion of the study, the VA would report the research and results back to Congress.
Already, thirty-nine (39) states permit medical marijuana to be distributed and used. However, the VA is currently prohibited from recommending or prescribing cannabis because it is a Scheduled I controlled substance. This is why additional research, must be conducted.
Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican and United States Marine veteran, who supported S. 326 stated, “Medicinal cannabis is already in use by thousands of veterans across the country, but we don’t yet have the data we need to understand the potential benefits and side effects associated with this alternate therapy.”
Previous research has proved that veterans are at a higher risk of PTSD than the general population and experience barriers to care when seeking adequate mental health treatment.
“This bill will allow us to explore treatments for chronic pain and other ailments that our veterans face without the need for stronger opiates,” said Congressman and retired Marine Corps General Jack Bergman, who introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
My Opinion: On July 12, 2023, DAV National Legislative Director Joy Ilem reached out to me, and all other disabled veterans suffering from PTSD and chronic back pain, with a plea to immediately contact all Senators, who voted “no” to advancing Senate Bill 326 and to support the legislation.
“This nation has a duty to turn over every stone in the hopes of finding new and alternative therapies for our veterans,” she wrote. “We appreciate the bipartisanship on this issue and look forward to this legislation advancing so this crucial study can get underway.”
“Our nation’s veterans deserve options when it comes to treating the wounds of war, which is why VA needs to have a better understanding of how medicinal cannabis plays a role in their healing,” said Senator Jon Tester, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Research on Vote Number #97 indicated that Senator Diana Feinstein was recovering in California and was not present for the voting. She is back now and I’m sure she will join her democratic colleagues in supporting this bill being brought to the floor for discussion.
If the citizens of the State of Indiana could persuade Senator Todd Young, who initially cosponsored S. 326, but later voted “nay” to change his mind again – there will be only one “yea” vote needed to advance this proposed legislation in the Senate’s chamber.
I personally stand side by side with United States Marine Corp (USMC) veterans, like Senator Sullivan and Congressman Bergman, who have supported S. Bill 326. I hope that the general public will stand with these brave Marines and contact Congress to voice their opinion in favor of having this proposed legislation discussed in the Senate.
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a 32-year retired Army veteran, who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at: plahovinsak@msn.com.