Bill to Help Veterans in Crisis Goes Cold in Senate

GOP lawmakers are fuming that a widely supported bill to improve suicide hotline services for troubled veterans got stopped cold in the Senate — and they're blaming Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid for playing politics.

Iowa GOP Rep. David Young introduced "No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act" in answer to a report that more than one-third of calls to a suicide crisis hotline were being ignored because of staff inefficiencies. 

Though the bill passed the House with 357-0 vote, it never made it to the Senate floor, NBC affiliate WOWT reports.

"Unfortunately politics do get in the way sometimes," Young told the outlet.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan was more blunt, blaming the Nevada senator:

.@YoungForIowa has worked hard on a bill to make sure no call to the #veterans crisis call line goes unanswered, but Harry Reid blocked it.

— Paul Ryan (@PRyan) September 30, 2016

WOWT reports that members of Young's office note the lawmaker is up for re-election and passage of a bipartisan bill could likely help his bid.

"I guess the question I would pose to Harry Reid is, 'What is wrong with passing this legislation to make sure that our veterans receive the help that they deserve?'" Young told the station.

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