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[...] first goal: Dogs for vets I knew that there was more than one reason to like this guy. See the CNN article on Al Franken's desire to use service dogs to aid wounded veterans. Sounds like a great plan [...]

[...] leave a comment » This is a worthy piece of feel-good legislation, but the junior senator from Minnesota will have to take principled positions that may be different from his party's Senate leadership before he repairs his 'I stole the seat' image. CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive – Franken’s first goal: Dogs f.... [...]

[...] Franken's first goal: Dogs for vets Sen. Al Franken unveiled his first legislative goal Monday. [...]

[...] According to CNN, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota unveiled his first legislative goal Monday which will be to provide funding to train dogs to work with wounded veterans. Trained dogs can assist in detecting medical issues with the veterans such as changes in respiration.  To learn more please click HERE. [...]

[...] Al Franken is proposing a bill to fund training and placement of service dogs for veterans. CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive – Franken's first goal: Dogs for... [...]

He's always been a supporter of Veteran's issues.

It is a smart thing to do for the troops, but a smarter thing is to bring them home.

Having worked with people with disabilities I can tell you that this is a great piece of legislation. Given the time that Senator has spent much time over the last several years on USO tours it only seems natural that he has taken on the cause of disable vets as a top priority.

Good work, Senator Franken!

I don't think we should be so harsh on Senator Franken. Listening to most senators in Washington makes me wonder where these people got educated. Sometimes I wonder; How did they get these jobs anyway?

Frankly, I think Franken has a connection with dog trainers he wants
on a government hand-out. Wait and see!

Sanford should be fired. Not just because he is a lying, cheating, ass but he has used taxpayer money for his love affair, he has turned down stimulis money that will help the people of his state and he continues to deny everything.

Funny how all of the warmongers, i.e., Republicans, couldn't care less about the sorry state of the treatment of our veterans! Pathetic!

Sen. Frankens, thank you for thinking of the troops since many of your colleagues choose not to care for them...us.

Good Man! Thats where Great MEN start! And everyone has to start somewhere, right?

you know what makes this good? theres no MONEY in it. this is what he will be. hes already rich so hes not going to be in anybodies pocket. he obviously isnt doing this for POWER. he is doing this for the people. a simple idea that will greatly help the people that go to war for the rich. democrats support our troops. they support the troops MORE then you "so called conservatives" so much that they dont want them to go fight and die so rich people can get richer!!! we want to use them for protection not aggression. GOOD JOB AL FRANKEN!

Why not place an unemployed person to stay with the vet. At least the $25,000 will help that person pay off debt and maybe even stimulate the economy.

Doug, hav you read the 3000 + cases Judge Sotomayor has render a veredict on? also out of the 2nd circuit court do you know the rate of overturned cases? did you know that the other (2) judges are self-claimed "conservatives" and that 16 out of 22 courts in the circuit courts are also "conservatives"? perhaps he is sucking up a little. that is what politicians do... I do think that is a good thing that he is proividing and discussing some of his ideas to help, I don't care what issue it is (even if it is parental notifcation of abortion); it is better to have the debate out in the open, rather than to wait to a close session of congress where they let the Lobby groups go at it and the public does not get to hear about it from the actual senators... he is showing activism, that is the feature of a senator... I don't know how good he will be, but I wish him success and I will wish success on any "conservative" senator doing the same thing for their convictions...

Doug Neuman you should really stop listening to Rush.
As Newsweek reported, "Limbaugh is wrong on his cases, and thus wrong in his calculation."

There's a Veteran's Affairs building down the street from my house and I know that a lot of veterans could really use trained dogs and I feel as AMERICANS we OWE them at least that much. They risk their lives to fight a war they didn't want to fight.. HOWEVER THEY BIT THE BULLET AND WERE DEPLOYED. $25,000 is a small price to pay for what they have already sacrificed. Nice job Al, keep it up.

Great idea, Al! You're off to a good start, hope the service dog legislation goes through

I think this story is spun in the "trivial" direction by a badly (wierdly) chosen headline.

One's expectations are immediately changed when the headline is something like "Aid for Veterans Top on Franken's List." Looks a lot less idiotic if you start it in the right direction.

Once again, the right comes out with their vicious comments. Did you even read what the dogs are for? Vets people!!! Men and women who protect and protected our country with their lives. My God, can you not once support something a democrat puts forth with out the vile crap you post on here? SUPPORT OUR VETS!!!!

I can see how this would be a worthwhile cause, but maybe working to make sure the soldiers have the equipment they need for combat in the first place would be better.
However stunned I am that Al Franken is actually a Senator, I am willing to see how he does. Can't be worse than proposing a health care plan that costs a trillion dollars, can it?

This is precisely why Senator Franken was an excellent choice by the voters of Minnesota. Sound logic and decision-making; understanding why our Creator gave us two ears and only one mouth; seeing a relatively simple solution to a fairly complex problem.

As a Minnesotan for 50 years before relocating, I am very pleased Senator Franken has the opportunity to clean-up his predecessor's office. It certainly needed fumigating !

Let's support Senator Franken, and give him a chance to make positive things happen.

Hey Doug,

I've reviewed her cases. She's been overturned less than 2% of the time, when one remembers that she's written hundreds of opinions. Her overturn rate on cases picked up by the Supreme Court is in line with every other appeals court judge. This is because the Supreme Court routinely overturns 75% or more of the cases that it decides to hear.

But what does that have to do with Al Franken apparently wanting to spend our money on dogs for vets? Aren't there charities for that Al? I'd prefer my money be spent a little more wisely!

No way! Do NOT help our veterans. Do it the Bush/Republican way. Send them to die and then don't give them anything...cut their benefits and vote against better benefits.

Republicans: We talk a good game, but screw the military. They are meant to be killed...let's keep it that way!

Nice idea, wrong approach!

I think it is an awesome idea. We can't do enough for our sevice men and women.

Praise God for this, as many vets need service dogs! This will be wonderful to see all those dogs out there, helping their papas and mamas in everyday life. Then the American people will see how valuable not only the vets are, but what the dogs can do! Snickers is my hearing dog and has been on duty since mid-2002, she will be pleased to see many of her colleagues out there so she's not alone!

Maybe he's not ALL bad......? but, what I'd REALLY like to see is, dogs trained to replace members of the Congress & the Senate! I think their intellectual capacity is greater & certainly, their inherent level of common sense is!!

Dearest Doug,

Your statement: " Hey Al, have you reviewed her cases and how many times she has been overturned?" Has serious merit. But not in the way you think. The supreme court is currently swayed way too far to the right. The fact that her decisions were overturned by conservative judges is yet one more reason she should be confirmed. It is also why we should keep sending Thomas and Scalia brochures on retirement communinties.

This is your priority Al, taking on a special interest issue?
The 57 % of the current working population without a job is not more important? Or the multi trillion dollars in proposed spending on the health care bill is not more important? What about the people who are suffering in your home district, these people are not more important than guide dogs?
just who are these elected leaders answering to? the special interest groups who fund their campaigns or the people?

Sotomayor isn't the issue folks, it's the dogs he wants to help the Vets. What's worng with that? It's and excellent idea.

OMG! You have got to be kidding. Is this the best Minnesota can come up with. Being an eleven year veteran I don't even know where to begin. What a monumental waste of money. I say we take the money and spend it studying the obvious psychological deformity that is Al Fraken.

Oh, I forgot. He is part of Congress, so maybe this is just a fantasy

He only took tips.

How refreshing. Yes this is change and long overdue. Al brings a sense of humanity and compassion into a legislative chamber that is all chafe and bluster. Mobius, do you really think the last 20 years in the Senate has been something this country can be proud of ? Just relax and let it happen, you'll be surprised at the results.

Thank God for Al Franken – a voice of reason, compassion AND wise spending.

What don't you cynical people get? You're walking around today, doing what you please, living where you want, etc, etc. because these veterans were more courageous than 95% of us big-mouthed scaredy cats.

Giving them a dog - come on! They probably are unable to easily sustain intimate relationships, develop families or careers. You are an example of GREED at its worst. Spoiled brats – what don't you understand -

"Freedom isn't free"

I love this guy already.

By god, we actually have a senator trying to help us Vets and he is from where I was born in Mn

What a wonderful way to begin his service in the Senate!
Al, keep listening to your heart. It is obviously in the right place.

Hey Doug, why don't you tell us how many of her thousands of rulings have been overturned? And tell me how that compares to other appeals court judges - you know, to be fair and balanced.

Thank you! this is what we are supposed to see in the news, something worth reading. It really touched my heart to know that they can have a companion to rely on; no better way than to include man's best friend.

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say that vets were his first priority, as this program is to benefit returning vets. That title wouldn't make Franken look silly, though, which I'm guessing was the point here.

Clearly none of you have any family members with impairments or disabilities–service dogs for wounded servicement? Absolutely. I find that to be a just request, and though I'm not from MN, I'm giving him credit for even thinking of the members of his state that have served their country (for YOU)... Sorry that you're all so negative.

Doug Neumann July 20th, 2009 12:56 pm ET

"..Tremendous judge like Sotomeyer?" Hey Al, have you reviewed her cases and how many times she has been overturned?

Hey Doug
Have YOU??? Try researching the facts rather than letting Limbaugh do that for you

Of the majority opinions that Judge Sonia Sotomayor has authored since becoming an appellate judge in 1998, four of her appellate opinions have been overturned by the Supreme Court.

Four cases is less than 2% percent of all that she has written and 60 percent of those reviewed by the Supreme Court. 60% is well below the average reversal rate of all cases reviewed by the supreme court

What a moron

I have personally seen a dog alert a woman to a seizure. I have personally witnessed my 2 Newfoundland dogs push (escort ?) a woman on an elevator – she was having a panic attack from fear of elevators – while I searched for help and fumbled for my cell phone. I have watched one of my dogs calm a whole classroom of special ed kids on numerous occasions. And on and on. They are cheaper and safer than pills.

He should do something about radical Muslims in his back yard.

"I enjoy working with my republican colleagues". Wow, guess your years of bad acting are finally paying off..

On another note, good idea, great political manuever, but good luck paying for it.

What a wonderful, sound idea!

Not only helping our vets but our pets.

We could use many service dogs as well as train the abundance of abandoned dogs that fit the correct profile for this type of work. A lot of those big black dogs no one wants. A win , win and maybe we can stop some of the this nonsense of killing of our pets like in California with the Mandatory Spay and Neuter bills the Animal Rights Advocates are trying to push down everyones throats as the answer!

We know better! Give a job a dog and he will be a better dog. You will live a better productive live. Work with his vet and his owner, not punish them with taxes, operations on their young and old pets a like that may threaten their very lives.

Stop the root of the cause. Find out who is really supplying all those Big,Black Dogs and work with them. It is not the AKC, the show dogs, the guide dogs, the service animals, the ones who will suffer the most from dragonian type laws like SB250!

While it is a worthy cause for a lot of folks–I just can't take this guy serious–I keep thinking, "now which TV show has he been watching?"

I'm appalled at the criticism...I happen to think this is a good idea. Since not too many of our other Senators are thinking about our brave and heroic soldiers once they're no longer able to serve. We have too many of our veterans homeless, shell shocked, mentally unstable, lonely, maimed and that's just name a few things going on with them. This just might help, maybe not all, but some. I can say at least Senator Franken is thinking about our soldiers. Where's the rest of Congress?

@ Doug Neumann & Mobius

Why are you such hatefilled human beings? While this may not be the most earth-shaking piece of legislation, it certainly does come from a place of showing gratitude and caring for our service men & women who so much has been asked of the last several years. I just don't see why anyone would carp about this. Unless, you don't think our service men & women deserve our gratitude???? If that's the case, you two are a couple of un-patriotic jerks in my book!

Doug Neumann – Clarence Thomas was overturned way more times than S-O-T-O-M-A-Y-O-R (that's how her name is spelled BTW) so what's your point again?
Mobius – What were you expecting that he would do? 'People, here's the solution for everything; Health Care Reform, Afghanistan War and Economic Crisis, etcetera!'
He had to start somewhere and even if it's not a 'big' bill/proposition, it's something that WILL WORK (Service dogs do have a comproved beneficial effect on the people they are 'assigned' to) for the good of VETERANS that are in need of their help.

For those that are making fun of Franken's ideas...it is well documented the power of a pet...there are so many homeless dogs that are just waiting to love someone and who better than a vet that may need unconditional love and loyalty....and costs little to nothing $$!

for Mr. Neumann -

From FactCheck.org –
Sotormayor Appellate opinions – 232
Number of these that went to the Supreme Court for Review – 5
Number overturned – 3

Pick your percentages – 1.3 % of all opinions, 60% of reviewed opinions. (The average for ALL Supreme Court reviewed cases in 2006-7 was 68%. She is BETTER than average on these.)

Oh, those liberal-based facts getting in the way again.

This is Socialism!! America cant afford to treat veterans at a time of war!! Let Market principles deal with the service dog shortage!!! It's Big Dog Government!!! It's a job killer!!! This will promote Illegal dog immigration from Mexico!! This aids the terrorists!! This will raise your taxes!!

umm, did i leave anything out?

I'm certainly no fan of Al Franken...But I can't really criticize this effort...

It's nice to see someone new looking out for the vets Following in the foot steps of Wellstone who made veterans affairs a priority of his. Funny how its the Libs that look after the well being of the vets while the Repubs seem to equate support for the military with the amount of $$ spent on miltary weapons, most of which goes to militatry contractor buddies...

I agree with Franken . It was proven years ago that dogs and cats do a great deal to help our veterans. It has given our service men and woman for years comfort and even helped some of them through PTSD (Post Tramatic Stress Disorder). So if he can get the bill past this would be a great thing for our service men and woman. My husband is a Navy vet of 20yrs. And y son is also in the Navy and if go d forbid something should happen to him I would hope this bill would be in place to help him and others.

Not Dogs for vets, how about "Battle Buddies" for vets. People, who formally served, helping others who come back with their transition.

Provides jobs, prevents suicides, and actually helps veterans, unlike the VA.

This guy wants to show that he is smart but he is a comedian. He is not fit to be in the senate. He brought Perry Mason story to Judge Sotomayor.
Imagine current class of Democrats in the Senate. Now Al Franken has joined them. Losers.

This is a simple, straightforward approach to a difficult and painful problem. I think maybe those who find humor in this snicker that brittle laugh that comes from uneasiness. And, we should all be a little uncomfortable with the way we have treated our returning veterans since Korea. We have been very good at waving the flag and talking about the importance of their service and our concern for the difficulties they face—some of them for the remainders of their lives—but somehow we do very little that is concrete. As a nation, we talk a great game but, in the end, we behave like your blowhard uncle. Perhaps if Senator Franken proposed something that cost 10 times more or that took 1100 pages of legislation to describe, it would better fit our expectations. Something this uncomplicated, honest and decent just doesn’t have mass market appeal.

Okay, my thoughts of Franken just went from liking him to total distrust. He never told us his legislative agenda would be to add a bunch of forced laborers to the federal workforce... not a good idea.

Can we please think about the poor dogs in there too?

Mobius,
Are you stoned or just stupid?

Would you rather the man start with some huge porkbarrel spending project that would only help a few well-placed constituents?

The man has come out of the gate for the vets. Not a bad start.

Get some perspective!

Good call senator

Way to go Sen. Franken! It's nice to have a senator who recognizes that he was elected to represent the citizens of MN. I look forward to following your progress.

What a bunch of sore losers you cons are! Al won, now get over it!

BTW, I think dogs for vets is a GREAT idea.

Bravo! Our neglected vets, many of whom suffer from severe depression deserve this. Service dog's provide so much more than "seeing eye" help these days. Not to mention the theraputic value. Franken is off to a great start!

CNN's homepage editor should be fired for the headline 'Dogs first priority for Sen Franken.' CLEARLY the great program he is promoting is to benefit DISABLED AMERICAN TROOPS. This sensationalist garbage has to end. Report the facts and ONLY the facts or drop 'News' from your name.

Not a bad idea but this is the wrong time.

What is so wrong with my last post about pets that CNN wont post it???

If Republicans could muzzle their resentment and skepticism for 5 seconds, they would realize that Franken cares about the vets they profess to honor by cutting funding and medical care for. I think he is going to be a good Senator.
And get over your beef with Sotomayor..Rush is wrong! Only THREE of her hundreds of decisions were overturned, and they reviewed all of five of her cases. That is hardly a huge number of denials, now is it? But then, Republicans love to stretch the truth (Palin and her bridge, for one of many instances) or outright lie (Rush and Hannity daily) so what else is new?

Excellent!!! This is a win-win program for all involved.
Is it me, or are the bitter Republicans becoming more surly with every passing day??? Obama was handily elected ... get over it and grow up!!

A GREAT IDEA....the dog will love the vet and the vet will love the dog and the healing will start immediately....Nothing better than the love of a pet..

Supercalifrajiclisticexpialudocious.
Cool, sound a lots more economical/humanely than hospitalization or Rx drugs.
Besides the dogs cannot give kick backs for their newly found employment..

bitter republican losers abound!

MLH

Finally we have a politician who realizes we owe our vets. From what I've learned, the dogs can literally save lives & if the vets don't deserve that, who does? Right on, Senator Frankin. If there's a way I can help, I will do it!

CNN... Just so you know, I do not grant permission for my writing to be chopped up or paraphrased. If it does not get published in the comments in it's entirety, then leave it out.

Thanks.

Anastasia

I don't know why people think this is a stupid idea. It's a brilliant idea! There have been plenty of studies to prove that animal companionship helps heal a wounded person (both mentally and physically) much faster than just therapy and medical attention. We ask so much from the men and women in the armed forces. We should do all we can to help them. No "ifs", "ands" or "buts". Period. Kudos, Mr. Franken.

Anything that helps to benefit our wounded soldiers is an obligation we have to them as a nation. This sounds like a wonderful initiative, and my hat is off to any legislator who places the needs of our troops first. We as a nation have become numb to what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan – and we cannot. The death of Michael Jackson becomes a huge media event, but the death of a soldier receives a short-lived headline. It is sad, indeed. Thank you, Senator Franken, for reminding us of our priories. Stay the course.

It may be a long shot, but it may not be a bad at idea after all. I may add that our veterans should get as much help as possible-mustly the injured ones.

Thought this guy would be a total joke (no pun intended) but this is a real good idea and I am all for it.

Off to a good start in proving me wrong Senator – way to go in helping out our armed forces in an area that makes a whole lot of sense

Al Franken is going to be an amazing public servant, mark my words. Sounds like he's off to a terrific start, and I'd like to see you, Mobius, Doug Neumann, or Roger, do any better! Give him a chance, please.

Hey, this can a good thing. We need to take care of our servicemen and women in every way that we can. I have a relative who is still suffering emotionally after being hit in the first Gulf War. He has tried so hard to return to a 'normal' life but still has PTSD sabotaging whatever progress he makes.

Fianally! And it took a former comedian to bring some common sense to government. And to all you people who think his service dog idea is a waste of money...you better pray that you or your relatives don't need one some day

What is wrong with you people? Do vets not deserve this? Of course they do, you go lay your life on the line and come back disfigured and see if you criticize the idea then. Try to think about more than your selfish self.

Mobius – I'm glad that you hold the service of our veteran's with such high esteem. Why do you think so many veteran's try to bring dogs back with them that have meant so much to them while they are protecting your freedom to speak so feeling.

You obviously could use some of the unconditional love that a dog gives.

I have an epileptic family member with a service dog. She alerts them and my family when it is time to take seizure medication.

Most of us who know, an epileptic seizure can strike at any time and without warning. Sadie has saved the life of my relative on a number of occasions. She instinctively knows and has been trained for such a thing.

I think it's a great idea, it improves on the quality of life for those suffering from such afflictions and not that cost prohibitive.

While it may have not been my first choice for a bill, I think it's a great move since Sen. Franken spent so much time in Iraq on USO tours and we have literally let our returned injured men and women in uniform slip through the cracks.

I think he meant vets for dogs – a health care thing. He just got confused. Although he's a high functioning liberal he's still severely impaired when it comes to understanding things that are real.

This man is doing just what President Obama campaigned on. Making promises and delivering. You go guy, keep on trucking.

This may seem a little silly at the outset but it really is a worthy program for vets with post traumatic stress syndrome. There was a Wall Street Journal article that profiled a vet and his service dog and what the dog did for him was simply amazing. I'm glad Sen. Franken is bringing attention, and hopefully added dollars, to this worthy cause.

I am sorry, but everytime Al Franken uses the word "Frankly" I cannot help but snicker the same way a little kid does when someone says the word "duty"...

I think it is a good program. I know several people with service dogs, and they are an amazing and many times life-saving infiluence in their lives. I would agree that our veterans deserve this benefit just like any blind of handicapped person.

Support the men and women in uniform is not just words and flag-waving and pride when some enemy target is destroyed. Supporting the troops is not turning your back on them when they return from war, especially if they come back injured whether it's physically or emotionally.

I'm all for helping our service men and women, and I'm a firm believer in the power of animals to help provide service to those in need.

But, now is not the time to spend $25,000 per dog. The time for that is when everything else is done and paid off.

It appears that Franken has gotten his priorities mixed up.

Kudos to Sen. Franken. This is a worthwhile cause and Franken is doing his job adequately.

Mobius July 20th, 2009 12:55 pm ET

Priceless.

THIS is what we waited for all these months to get this brilliant political mind in the US Senate? I guess that *is* change, but……

I'm amazed that our country is still functional with the new brand of nonstop idiocy which has gripped our Government since January….and of course, except for the brand name, it's not really any change at all.
____________________________________________________
i can just feel the contempt & hate oozing from any neocon with regard to senator franken's proposal.
mobius and his chums were probably content with the last administration's policies toward war vets – send em' on tour after tour; unilaterally engage in war so us servicemembers bear the brunt of the losses; allow va hospital to enter a state of disrepair; provide them with inadequate armor and equipment.
where is the compassion that conservatives swear they possess? some of these people need a friend & are we all not in agreement that dogs are man's best friend?

I think I'm getting a panic attack right now. Here we are, a nation capable of putting a man in the moon, but manage to elect a clown worried about an issue way down in the totem pole of priorities,

Franken is an idiot. I'm beginning to think Minnesota is populated by idiots - first Jesse Ventura and now Franken. They make California look like the place where intelligent people live.

Right on, Senator Franken! I can't think of a more loving tribute to our soldiers than a companion that will love AND protect... and absolute loyal companion. That's more than we can say for our own country and the way it has treated our physically and emotionally wounded soldiers.

Mobius, you've never known the love of a dog, have you? What a sad person you are.

Really? Al Franken wants to do something for the vets? Wow, I'm pleasantly surprised. I didn't think he liked the military. I'm all for this initiative. Anything that will help our veterans gets kudos from me. Way to go, Al!

Wake Up America! Do you not understand what this will cost! This is being shoved down our throats! Give the people a chance to decide if this is the right thing to do.

Sounds like a great idea to me. Our vets need a lot of help and don't forget we made a promise to those that serve and we need to keep it.

Great idea. I have to wonder if the negative commenters even care if our vets commit suicide.

Thank you Al. We're glad that you are finally in office and making contributions. Don't listening to the whining from those on the Right. They'll be doing that for a very LONG time. Because that's what sore losers do. Norm was the perfect example of the right's childish behaviors.

I am surprised at the number of people posting here that don't care about our troops.

Thank you, Senator Franken, for taking a pragmatic approach to helping those braver than most to get by when injured in duty.

I think this is a great cause.

hard to believe we pay $137,000.00 a year for a guy to ask that our vets get dogs..how about free education for our vets or medical treatment for life, and revamping our veteran hospitals, that those men and women who need care get the VERY BEST..better yet, propose no war, no war funding, beginning NOW..

Wow! What a great idea – it has been WAY TOO LONG since we saw a common sense approach to the way we treat our vets. National news has turned recently to stories of traumatized service people who would likely experience great benefits from this funding.

Outside the box thinking is EXACTLY what we need to initiate real conversation on treating the people who protect us – regardless of political view, you cant deny the shoddy medical treatment our vets get. This might be the kickstart to a veyr interesting approach to the introduction of holisitic treatments for these folks! Way to go Senator!

Al,

Good for you!

Good idea..better than anything i've heard come out of Washington from any senator in a long time. Why not give back to those that gave for us? Hope he gets it done.

Mr. Franken, this is ridiculous! Come on, being a sober, reasoned leader in the insane media circus that is Washington Politics will NEVER get you the anger-laden publicity that you are supposed to crave!

But seriously, this sounds like a phenomenal idea. And it sounds MUCH more cost effective than many of the pork-barrel projects out there... not to mention that, as you said, we owe these brave men and women every effort to make their return to non-military life easier and less painful.

Roger, Mobius, etc., read up on this subject. Educate yourselves. Judge the IDEA, not the MAN... then maybe you can get YOUR party a leader that deserves a fair hearing.

To all those who think this is not a worthy subject matter. You try doing basic things without legs or arms or mobility. You try sleeping like a baby after spending two and three tours of duty in George W. Bush's wars.

I'd say Al Franken is doing his state and the country proud. Keep up the good work Al, and don't let the Party of No deter you from helping the soldiers. The bravest of the brave.

Doug Neumann wrote
"..Tremendous judge like Sotomeyer?" Hey Al, have you reviewed her cases and how many times she has been overturned?"

Let me point out that MOST cases reviewed by the Supreme Court get overturned. They do not review them unless there is a high probability to be overturned. Sotomayor has had 3 out of 5 overturned. Not huge numbers, and certainly less, percentage-wise, than the average, which is 75%.

Al Franken is not a suck up, but you are most certainly an idiot. Stop listening to the talking points of those trying to distort reality.

The headline should have read his first priority is wounded veterans ..but that would have been less inflammatory.

Mr Franken has a very nice idea and it might just improve quality of life for our wounded warriors, please do NOT give the republican chicken hawks a second thought because of course all we hear from the GOP is the worst, never the best of America

Franken is an idiot, idiot, idiot. What a joke that he and his Democrate cronies were able to steal the election in Minnesota.

Thank you, Sen. Franken, for not only recognizing that those who give so much deserve much better. Not only will your program provide much needed love and help for these warriors, but will also provide homes, security and love for so many devoted and even unwanted caregivers. Shelter dogs, as well as any, have proven to be more than trainable and are so grateful to be give a home that the love and care they shower on their owners is absolutely boundless. If this bill doesn't pass – then congress should be totally ashamed of themselves (oh, and they shouldn't be able to vote themselves any more raises).

Give the man a break. Not every Senate session is a revolution of American society. You have to count the seemingly small things too.

"And I agree with you Franken: listen, listen to the voice of your constituents.The path will be much clearer to you then." – DM4Obama

Is that what the little voices in his head are? I thought they might have been caused by other things. This guy is an idiot like all the rest of the liberal left. I am relieved to see that we are already starting to see that voters who screwed up last fall are already starting to see the light.

Some day the approval ratings of the Obama Administration's Agenda and the DNC will catch up with individuals them selves. There is not one major democratic initiative that has a majority of American's support and that is suing the liberal medias poll numbers – Health Care less than 50%, Stimulus less than 50%, Cap and Trade less than 50%.

Doug Neumann (12:56pm): Ever heard of "lying statistics"? The GOP talking point on this is, at best, a partial statistic. The number they're citing of Sotomayor's decisions that have been overturned is the number of Supreme Court decisions based on Sotomayor's appellate court decisions. Out of the 3,000 or so cases she heard as an appellate judge, only 5 were even reviewed by the Supreme Court, and the decisions in only three of those cases were overturned. Other Supreme Court justices, including Alito, have a worse record with regard to decisions being overturned.

You're entitled to your own opinion, but you're not entitled to your own facts.

I like the way the Senator has hit the ground running. I'd say he was worth the wait. I hope that the ciitzens will vote him back in, and this time without the drama.

Kudos, Senator Franken! It's about time we begin to address the immense pain and suffering inflicted upon those servicemen and women who give so much to our country. How many of our elected representatives are really addressing the problem and offering ideas to help our courageous citizens who have given so much?
I hope that people do not condemn Senator Franken's ideas without knowing anything about the service dog programs. Let's really try to help the vets, unlike what this country did to the Vietnam vets who returned to a country that turned its back on them. You can still see them on the streets begging for help. We can and must do better for our young people!

I despise Obambi and Franken is a joke, but..................

This is a good ge is doing here for my fellow Veterans. so lay off the guy, this is actually a good cause that will help some brave people who volunteered and served.

Hammer him and the chosen one for their other stupid "change" policies, this one is a great idea.

Thank you Mr. Smiley.

Breath of fresh air.

I despise Obambi and Franen is a joke, but..................

This is a good ge is doing here for my fellow Veterans. so lay off the guy, this is actually a good cause that will help some brave people who volunteered and served.

hammer him and the chosen one for their stupid "change" policies, this one is a great idea.

Thank you Stuart.

al's handlers will nail him if he is not careful. he should have started with reducing phone charges and extortion. who ever told him at this time we need dogs taking 25000 each is crazy. hahahahahahahahahahahaha

I wonder who let Franklin put his name on their legislation?

I cannot believe some of you so called "patriotic" republicans have the nerve to bash this! These soldiers have lost their limbs and eyesight and you think getting them service animals is somehow a stupid thing? Shame on all of you! If you people are christians it only reinforces my atheism! How disgusting you people are! Thank you Al and i am sure alot of our disabled military thank you as well.

To Doug – Her reversal rate is normal, the Supreme Court generally does not take up cases that do not pose constitutional issues or ones in which they agree with the lower courts ruling.

dominican mama is right when she says "you have to start somewhere." Franken is a freshmen senator and won a contested and close election. Hes playing it smart by starting with basic legislation that will receive wide support. After all not too many congress(wo)men could vote against a bill designed to ease the pain and suffering of wounded veterans. Simple, functional, and for a politician most importantly popular.

Its not idiocy, nor is this bill supposed to represent change (i won't get into the whole "change" issue as an institutionalist). This is a snaphot of day-to-day legislation.

He's been watching too many vagrants on the streets. That is not where Veterans belong...

Franken must feel a bit insecure, since some people seem to judge his comedic history as a strike against his credibility. I think he's showing real guts to sponsor something that can be summarized flippantly. Only those who bother to get details will see it for the well-considered and beneficial project it looks to be. I think he will serve admirably.

I think what he is doing is really awsome. My father is a Veteran and could have used a companion when he was going through his hard times.

I've made fun of the fact that Franken got in under less than transparent ways, but this is pretty cool on his part...

Really Roger.. Come on now. The article is loaded with the headline anyway. How does the reporter (Lauren Kornreich) know that Dogs are his first "goal". Myabe Franken's first goal was to move into his office!

I find this sort of reporting so biased it is not even funny. So many reporters and editors think they are so smart by writing catchy little headlines like this. Do us all a favor and just write about (factually) what you saw. We the reader can make our own opinions and conjecture whåt we will.

Mobius, hows that mermaid bill the rebubs introduced going?

LOL, you elect a comedian and you expect any less? What a literal JOKE. What's next you dems, you look worse than the righties!!! I know, how about a clown for senate, or maybe a flying circus could just run the House?

Come on CNN – make the headline reflect the story! The wording of the ticker link on the front page, as well as the headline of this story omit the word "service", as in "service dogs." This marginalizes the entire Franken proposal. Everyone should know about Franken's efforts for service members and veterans, including his USO tours and efforts to get body armor for our troops in Iraq!

Good job Al.

Anybody seen the [R] hero Normie lately? Methinks he continues to re-brown his nose, but down in Texas now.

Sounds like a great program for our troops and the problems they're suffering with in silence. It could be a great help to them.

Leave it to the republicans to blast away. Give us another chorus of "we support the troops and the Dems don't" too while you're at it.

I say we should just keep treating the vets the same way the Bush administration did; that is:

-Give lots of lip service to vet issues, but no real services
-Ensure they do not get the promised coverage and pay out of pocket for much of thier needs.
-Ensure their families send them the protective armour they need in combat
-Underfund the VA.

Mr Franken has a very nice idea and it might just improve quality of life for our wounded warriors, please do give the republican chicken hawks a second thought because of course all we hear from the GOP is the worst, never the best of America

Republicans send our troops to fight in unnecessary wars.
Democrats try to mend our heroes when they come home.

Thank you Senator Franken for remembering the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and for trying to make life better for them when they come back to us.

I guess if you're concerned with Judge Sotomayor's reversal rate, you were also offended by then – Judge Alito's reversal rate since he was also consistently struck down by the high court.

I absolutely support the funding of this program – something that gives actual benefits to our veterans – rather than the typical lip service to "support our troops."

You have the right point, Dominican. I really don't like Franken's politics but I agree with this issue. Service dogs (or even just well trained dogs) can be immensely beneficial for those who need them.

His comments on Sotomeyor? Oh, yeah. Suck up big time but he's faced with the task of approving an intellect far superior to his own.

We need to get a contract form candidates to hold them to when they are elected.
Are Vets an major issue? Yes. Are dogs for them the top of the list? Hardly.

This is a great article and as a vet myself I'm glad to see that he's thinking about all of the men and women returning from this needless war. But I also think that the Latest News headline writer is an idiot. Franken's first goal is obviously to take care of our vets. So the headline on the front page should have been written " Returning veterans first priority for Sen. Franken.

Why couldn't the Rethuglicriminals come up with this? Too many "zipper malfunctions?"

The BuschReich sent our young people into harm's way in TWO ILLEGAL WARS and then cut the VA budget to take care of them when they came home.

If for no other reason than that, they should be HUNG as TRAITORS.

Mobius, are you serious? Nonstop idiocy since January? You'd rather go back to the eight years of war, the doubling of the national debt, the cronyism, the hypocrisy, the who cares about the environment, the poor, and anyone who disagrees with me? I look at my 401(k) and believe me, I don't think I can blame the current group in D.C. for how dreadful that looks nowadays!

And Franken being in the news for service dogs for veterans, which is a good idea...and a lot better way to spend his time than sleeping around on his wife, something that a lot of other politicians seem to be known for lately...Family Values party, yeah right...

Had Minnesota sent the GOP to the senate you can rest assure they would have proposed nothing and opposed everything. Everybody loves dogs not a bad place to start. I am sure the GOP will cry rabies or poop scoopers.

There may be some small hope for Franke, he may be figuring it out since he barely won his election.

What an idiot! The people of Minnestota deserve what they get.

DOGS for veterans? What up w/this guy. Fighting a battle for months to know who won the senator seat and when the chips are all counted this is what you get from him. Is he not concerned about jobs lost, home lost, economic problems, etc. Why are these people really elected? His first legislative goal? He once were a comedian; but I believe the joke is on the constitutents of Minnesota . This guy is a joker. Suicide....it will take more than just the companionship of a dog. Let's be real. No offense to the veterans but I do believe family would be valuable when assistance is needed to take medication, and comforting from relative or friend during a nightmare would be sufficient. Wouldn't you think? Let's not waste monies; when the GOP seems to think the deficit is above what it should or/and tax taxpayers for another program that serve no purpose. Can Al Franken prove that this program is liable and workers? This job he has now is not for laughs or jokes; it's series business. And let's not hate on Judge Sotomayor. She not only talk the talk but she definitely walk the walk.

Really? You are going to give Sen. Franken grief because he cares about our AMERICAN vets! There are so many things that we can and should be doing for our American vets after asking them to do so much for us; service dogs is just a minor step. Obviously, most of the people on these blogs just like to gripe instead of giving someone credos for listening to what needs to be done.

I can't believe people make fun of a bill that will help disabled veterans.

Mr. Franken, can we please pass health care reform first so all Americans can have health insurance?

The people of MN are demanding dog training for vets.

It's obvious from your comments none of you are veterans. We are an American Legion family, my husband served in both the Army (4 yrs) and Naval Air during Nam. The Post he is a member of in central Arkansas works to make the lives of veteran's better who will be in the VA Hospital the rest of their lives or in homes with assisted living. Finally someone else cares for veterans, except other veterans. The dog program will benefit many thousands of disabled veterans, shame on anyone who cares so little about them.

What's wrong with helping veterans? They deserve the best we can give them, and I think that Al Franken has done something very positive. I give him a gold star for his first efforts.

Awesome....i do a fundraising walk every year with my dogs for an organization called "Texas Hearing and Service Dogs". they rescue dogs from shelters around Austin and train them to be full-time companions and aides to disabled citizens and veterans around central Texas. Two lives are saved–the dog's, and the citizen's.

Good work Sen. Franken. i hope the program will use shelter dogs that have the capabilities to perform those functions whenever possible, and without a doubt, this will help our returning soldiers immensely.

Whatever a disabled vet needs, Americans should be happy to provide. We must not forget that they did our fighting for most of us. Most Americans sat on their keesters and watched TV during the war in Iraq. That includes Pres. Bush's daughters too (they certainly don' t take after their heroic grandfather.)

There was no draft, which Americans would have rejected. Most of us prefer not to fight – especially the female voters who voted for George W. Bush twice. So, we extended their terms and flew them across the sea to fight a nasty, difficult war.

Whatever they need is fine with me. Provide it and raise our taxes by the amount of the bill, whatever it is. After all, no one shot at us, did they?

I think this is a very admirable project and a smart move by Franken. By promoting legislation that is seen as positive on both sides of the aisle, he's setting himself up as someone who can cross party lines and get things done.

Aside from the political strategy, however; this is a very important issue that really does need to be addressed. The welfare of our veterans is appalling, and anything we can do to improve that should be a huge priority for any senator.

A big kudos to Al Franken.

I'm sorry.....but what is wrong with thinking about and trying to help the veterans of this country? I didn't know trying to help those who risk their lives to protect us was idiocy.

As someone who has worked with service dogs this is truly commendable. I've seen dogs change peoples' lives, from autistic children, to blind individuals, paraplegics. It's amazing what one canine can do for someone's morale and their sense of independence. I applaud Sen Franken for having the wherewithall to address this for our vets.

Wow, I thought the Republicans were patriotic and the rest of us weren't. Why are they complaining now? Good job, Franken.

I agree that this is a great idea. The reasoning behind it is sound and I am all for it. Some of you need to cut the politics and help make it better for our injured service men. I suppose, if Bush or Cheney had suggested it, you would have loved it.

If I were Republican, I'd read some comments and say that those people are against the wellbeing of our men and women who have served this country so well and are now in need of help. Thankfully I am not of that ilk and can see this is a great idea which will be worth every penny and the nay sayers are just not getting it.

he is right, they are important, they need them, and they are HUGE in therapy. I hope this passes

Paul Wellstone was a strong voice for vets and this is a respectful nod to his efforts as well as a good beginning for Franken – I hope you didn't expect him to arrive in D.C. and stop the wars that necessitate aid to our returning troops.

This is a fabulous idea! Anyone who lives with a dog knows how they enrich our lives. Service dogs as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for any of our veterans who can benefit from it is the right and smart thing to do. Thank you Senator Franken for thinking outside the box.

for any republican that rips on this, i guess you don't support the troops as much as you like to claim.

$25,000 to train a dog? Sounds like the $400 hammer or $600 toliet seat. What about SPCA's and volunteers. Didn't take him long to continue his democratic laughter and jokes from SNL.

I say we treat the vets like the Bush administration did; that is:

-Filthy, decrepit hospitals
-Long waits for benefits at the VA, just to be told that "you got nothing coming"
-Sending them to war un-prepared and ill equiped in the first place.
-Taking the thier re-enlistment bonuses if they are wouded in battle, so they end up owing the government upon discharge.
-No one answering the suicide prevention hot lines.

This is a good, sound approach to helping our wounded warriors and not amount of GOP nastiness from thier chicken hawks will negate that.

Good suggestion senator Franken it won't hurt a thing !

Doug Neumann July 20th, 2009 12:56 pm ET

"..Tremendous judge like Sotomeyer?" Hey Al, have you reviewed her cases and how many times she has been overturned?

What a suck up.
_____________________________________________________

How many times has she been "overturned" smartass? Have you "reviewed" her cases? Thousands of them to review, or did you rely on GOP bigots to fill you in? She has not been overturned more than any other judge. Watch out there Dougie boy, your chauvenism is showing.

Hey Mobius,

We all know republicans don't care about vets...and apparently anybody who does is an idiot. I hope a vet snaps and shoots you and your hateful family.

Al you must joking

He's kidding, right?

I am not a Dem..but I think Franken's idea is a wonderful and agree that dogs would be a tremendous help to our vets!!! Dogs are proven to improve the life's of people a hundred fold..and well worth taxpayers money!!!! I also agree that Franken should listen to those who elected him and not be taken in by the politics of Washington ....and the idiots on both sides of the table. This is his opportunity to show Americans that his being elected was not a joke!!!!

Dogs for Vets, this is what he coms up with for his first agenda! Geeze,. I'm a Veteran, and I love the fury pets as much as the next guy, but with all that we have coming out of the present administration, Dogs for Vets is what he comes up with! This gjuy will go along ways in the Senate, he may as well sit right next to Burris, and start packing when he does.

Al's first order of business is to help our vets. But yet, there are partisen haters out there that will slam on him for doing just that. You know, the same people that sit at home & dont do jack squat to help out our nations returning soldiers.

Keep on doing what your doing Al – All the vet's appreciate it.

This is who we've needed for a long time. Someone who is thinking straight about what the Veterans needs are. Start with the dogs, you can't go wrong.

Wow, so telling of the rethuglicans on this blog attacking Sen. Franken, who is trying to help our servicemen and women.

Who supports the troops, now?

There is no reason to suppose that Al Franken will not have a history in the Senate that anyone would be proud of. It seems that while defeating an incumbent he had a tougher fight for his Senate seat than almost any other Senator there, which is deserving of my respect. His next trip to the Polls will tell if he has impressed his new constituents during his term. His proposal demonstrates his empathy for the troops and we will know more about his character and judgement with time. Sotomayer isn't perfect, but she has demonstrated judicial patience with her GOP inquisitors. Perhaps Franken admires this, as we all should.

I am, as most of you know a conservative. This is a good non-partisan start, where most can get on board. This is a worth while program that works! Same thing happened in a major prison and the inmates in involved in the program had a purpose again and the violence dropped! The only ones who will be against this are those who never served and don't understand!

Doug Neumann July 20th, 2009 12:56 pm ET

"..Tremendous judge like Sotomeyer?" Hey Al, have you reviewed her cases and how many times she has been overturned?

What a suck up.

The majority of the justices on the Supreme Court had more cases overturned than Judge Sotomeyer. You need to do more research before trotting out such an ignorant remark.

Mr. Franken,

Try listening to the Constitution, the only thing you sware an oath to. I support our troups, but here we go again another idea turned into a program without limits or cost consideration. Our federal government is broke, flat broke, borrowing trillions of our future genreations income.

Change from the past is STOP expanding government and STOP spending. Hello Washington are the lights on?

Dear Senator Franken ( boy that sounds good to say!) Thank you for making service dogs your first priority. As an avid dog lover, I know how much good a dog can do anyone. A trained dog that will help is an added bonus! Our veterans deserve anything we can possibly do. This will benefit both dogs and the veterans. I will tell Senator Levin from Michigan to support you in this. Good Luck and even though I live in Michigan and can't vote for you, I am glad you won. Alice Anderson, Ludington, Michigan

C'mon folks..... shouldn't the news caption read "Wounded Veterans healthcare is Al Frankens first order of business"? A reminder....he's the comedian not you.

I so agree with Sen. Franken. Dogs can be wonderful companions for people. I think of it as a win win, vets help train dogs and dogs help vets heal. What a wonderfully refreshing idea.

She has been overturned less than anyone else who's cases came up for review on the supreme court.

It is priceless if it prevents one combat vet from committing suicide. The data shows it is very helpful, Mobius.

I am sure that all of you who are chastising Franken for this bill are the ones who ride around with your "Support Our Troops" on your cars. Isn't it amazing when someone who wants to support our troops initiates legislation (rather than having them electrocuted by the shoddy workmanship of the Halliburton subsidiary) that you protest. Please go back under your rocks and wait for a few more years to come out. Your touch with reality will not be altered.

How can you get along with something that is constantly stabbing you in the back? If Anne Colter (however you spell her name) or Rush was a Senator and made that comment, it would be just as laughable as either Frankin or Michael Moore making the statement.

In regards of training dogs for Vets – sounds like a good idea

Wait until PETA hear's about this.

Still, it's a good idea. I thought they were already doing this.

Great idea, Senator Franken! Yes to all you Rethugs on here, Senator Franken.

Senator Franken is a Harvard Grad I believe. Senator Franken has more intelligence than more than likely 80% of the Senate. After watching the Sotomayor hearings, I now know why Obama HAD to run for President. I could not believe how racist the Republican was until the hearings.

Good luck Senator Franken!!!!!

Hey Doug, have YOU reviewed Sotomayor's cases and her reversal rate?

Out of her 232 majority opinions she has written in 11 years on the Second Circuit, she has been reversed...wait for it...three times. Yes, three.

See, this is where not knowing the facts gets you into trouble...

I would rather back this than UHC thats for sure.

Why use dogs? Can't we train a neo-con to do the same thing?

Palin-Bachmann 2012

Think of it this way...Franken has only been in the Senate for two weeks (give or take) and is already sponsoring legislation. Obama sponsored no bills while he was a Senator.

The program would be great, but PLEASE have people assigned to check on the dog's well-being and environment for the first year. Also, make sure the veteran does not have a history of being abusive. There have been some horrendous news stories of a few veterans returning and being very abusive to animals. It's not common, but happens enough that precautions need to be in place.

25000 to train and place a dog what happened to going to the paound and getting one for free. Every mutt I've owned was a great dog with free training from me.

Gov't stupidity with my money.

Al why don't you use your salry to fund the program.

Mobius must be against helping the men and women who serve in the armed services. Obviously some of these replies show that some of you only read the headline. Must be too taxing for you to read the actual story.

Thanks God that this Canadian voted for him in my dreams....We need reality and humour....big things and small things too.

Um, Doug? Judge Sotomayor was overturned fewer times than Judge Alito; what does that say about him?

Thank you Al Franken, for keeping our troops' needs in the forefront. With the death of five MN servicement this WEEK overseas, the ones who do make it home need all the help and support they can get.

I've been a puppy raiser of future leader dogs and the difference these animals can make is indescribable...literally.
So many people only see a pet, but service dogs are independence. Service dogs are self-sufficiency. Service dogs save lives. When the towers fell, every service dog got his owner out!
For those that will criticize this proposal only because Sen. Al Franken sponsored it, I ask, "are scoring political points really worth denying a disabled veteran any chance at independence and self-respect?"

This is so blatantly patronizing, it is pathetic. Left-wingers say they "support the troops", but this is evidence that they merely pay lip-service to their needs. These worthy vets need a whole lot more than a dog...... they need support for the cause they fight for.

I love dogs so I'm afraid they can be hurt or neglected by a soldier with PTSD. There has to be an alternative.

Service dogs are absolutely essential for some people to maintain an independent life. These animals not only provide support but they also provide love and companionship. This is also an area that is sorely underfunded and underutilized. Given all the nonsense that comes out of Washington, this is one topic that is definitely NOT nonsense.

We've got huge problems with the economy (which hopefully is now turning around), Iraq (thanks to Bush's idiocy), Afghanistan (again, thanks to Bush), North Korea - it's good to see that there are people still paying attention to the smaller problems and trying to find ways to fix them.

Way to go, Al.

Senator Franken is absolutely correct on this initiative. These dogs will help our wounded vets coming home tremendously. We need to get the word out to the public for donations to help train these dogs and be able to support them in this small way when every day they have the consequences of living with their war wounds to help defend us. I think if the public knew how much help these animals can be to our wounded soldiers – we just need the news, like CNN to help promote the soldiers who have them and get the publicity on TV and the internet.
Thank you,

Hmm, sounds good to me.... but what about HEALTH CARE first then DOGS later!!

You go Al Franken!!!

Good for you!!!

Al Franken can write 1 piece of legislation in less than 1 month on the job. Obama couldn't do that in 2 years.

This guy has to be an improvement over the wrestler that the Minniehaha's elected governor. What is wrong with the people up there that managed to elect a real senator like Hubert Humphrey.

I'm not sure how anyone can consider providing assistance to soldiers who's lives have been changed forever (on your behalf) as a joke. Clearly, you don't have any wounded service people in your family or group of friends. Our men and women who have been injurded/disabled deserve every opportunity to regain as much "normal life" as possible. Service dogs help to do this in many, many ways.

I think its a great idea.

Franken is an embarrassment to the State of Minnesota and the people here who are not worshippers of Scumbama. He will only serve one term then he'll be able to go back to SNL again and hopefully stay there where he belongs because no one watches that show anymore either.

At least we all now are aware of where his priorities are.....

Well spoken. It's nice to see someone doing some good for once.

Unless you're packing sour grapes like Mobius and Dougie here.

to everyone mocking this:

you've obviously never had an animal. this will help these people so much

If Franken has to be told where the path is, I am sure glad he is in the senate and starting small is not a good idea when our country is in shambles.

I applaud Senator Frankin's efforts. Research bears out what he hopes to achieve. Animals help humans heal and can save the lives of soldiers overwhelmed with the trauma of war.

Mobius......you have a better place to start for a junior senator? Placing dogs with Vets and improving their lives seems like a good place to start in my opinion....douchebag

Something for veterans' benefit - "idiocy"?! Says a lot about you, Mobius.

I think this is actually a great step in Franken's political career. This method of dog training for Veterans has worked before. There are several studies on this program and several veterans who have participated in this program have expressed how amazing the dogs have been for their recovery and their PTSD.

There is a program with prisons, where inmates learn to work with dogs and train them to help people with disabilities. This program has proven to be a great rehabilitation program for both the inmates and the individuals who receive the trained dogs. Some of these individuals have been US veterans.

I think that we should take the example of these programs among others, to make a national program to really help our veterans who have done so much to protect our freedoms, freedoms that allow us to discuss our opinion on this blog.

And for those who find that this is a joke. Look into the programs already in effect for guide dogs and veterans, before making a negative post.

Dear Mr. Franken: You can kill two birds with one stone by creating more dog training programs in prisons. This program has proven itself to be an excellent rehabilitation opportunity for prisoners, with only a minimal investment. And the obvious benefits of providing companion animals to veterans is brilliant. Bravo, Sir! Keep up the good work!

This is an excellent idea Sen. Franken. I wonder why no one else in Congress has asked to pass this legislation. This puts true meaing to the phrase "man's best friend."

Three cheers for Al Franken. A quote fromHenry Beston:

For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not bretheren, they are not underlings, they are other nations caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.

He is absolutely correct. I have seen the value of service dogs firsthand. It's refreshing to see a senator stand up for those with special needs instead of special people with connections.

Doug Neumann: Glad you didn't let a little something like the facts stand in your way. Sotomeyor has had 3 of her 6 cases overturned by the Supreme Court. The average over the last 10 years has been to overturn 75% of all cases. The Supreme Court does not accept cases unless it appears they may want to overturn the decision, so a 50% record is quite good.
Anyone who can find fault with Senator Franken's bill is showing themselves to be heartless and unpatriotic towards the thousands of soldiers who have returned from George Bush's war with serious mental and physical scars.

You got to love the GOP'ers here.

Every good thing we do for the troops will be met with hatred and insults.

If we treat our vets well enough soon it will be conservatives that spit on them in airports as they come home.

Imagine you're a vet who lost his eyes by an IED, coming back to a pitch black world. Or one with brain seizures due to cranial injury and needs an intuitive partner who knows when they're going to happen... OK. Now continue your Franken-bashing.

Franken in 2016!!!

How is this a joke? This is a very legitimate program. They are already doing similar things at Walter Reed.

I love how republican are "for the troops" when they are getting blown away while killing for their corporate agenda, but heaven forbid they give a you know what about them when they come home.

Mobius and company are a buch of frakken chickenhawks, neoconservative to the core, they don't give a pickle about are troops or their needs and yet I bet each one of them proudly sports a US flag next to a Sunocco sticker on their SUV!

Al's the man and we need 99 more just like him!

Hope y'all realize what a breath of fresh air, new perspective & set of priorities can do as we move forward.
Al, you simply rock. Don't change a thing. Eureka!

I never though that I would be impressed with this guy, but I think the Service Dog idea is great. The Government sometimes does not take care of the military men and women as they should so let the dogs have a try. Although there are a lot of more important issues that need attention, I think this is great. Maybe the dogs can help us with Health Care.

Maybe service dogs aren't important to you but they mean so much to the vets who need them. This should be a top priority to say thank you to those who have fought and been woundered. Kudos to Franken - at least he has his priorities right compared to some of you who view this as a joke.

I think it's a great idea. I don't know about #1 priority, but I'd put it in the top 5. At least he's thinking about doing good for someone who really counts and not making some pork his #1 priority. Way to go Al!!

I think it's great that at least one politician is concerned about the welfare of our veterans. W had no trouble sending them all to Iraq, but while they were gone he did his best to nibble away at their benefits.
What kind of patriotism is that? And the conditions at Walter Reed hospital where those fighting men and women who are wounded were consigned to – Deporable and indefensible!

It's also nice to hear of a politician who prefers to listen to his constituents instead of the sound of his own voice!

It took awhile, but I'm glad Al finally made it to the senate!

I am not sure a service dog can help the vet actually see a Dr quicker because that sounds a bit more important to me. The lines in the Portland VA Hospital can reach 8 hrs before these hero's see a Dr.

How about finding some funding for the Hospitals to treat these vets?

I think it's a wonderful first step.

For those that criticize "the left," at least his actions are showing what all the "red, white and blue, support our troops" on the right are saying...the difference is, he is backing it up with action, not just waving flags!!

That IS the kind of change we need in our legislators!

Why always does it have to be so comical ,about everything Al Franken ttalks about.?This is a great service to the (Wounded) Vets, and we should , i mean (those) who have any (Epathy) should take a look in the (Mirror), and be thankful that , if we have our (Health) our days are (Blessed). The (WAR VETS) have gone thru a terrible (WAR) and AL Franken , has a great (Goal) for legislation for (Our Vets). To provide them with (comfort ) and (Hope). Dogs that are (Trained ) to work with (Wounded Vets) is a (Good Service) Al Franken is not a (Joke) he is very bright and will be a force in the (Senate).. Stop the clowing (Fox False News Crowd) with (stupid ) remarks.....

Doug Neumann,

Judge Sotomayor's name is even spelled for you in the article and still you couldn't get it right? Franken is extremely well educated and informed. Anyone who watched the hearings on C-SPAN had to be impressed with his knowledge of the subject matter. You'd never know it from the "entertainment-news" of course because all they report is fluff and sensation. His sense of humor will serve him well in the Senate too.

Service dogs work and our wounded veterans deserve all the help they can get. Good job Sen. Franken.

@Mobius July 20th, 2009 12:55 pm ET

Priceless.

THIS is what we waited for all these months to get this brilliant political mind in the US Senate? I guess that *is* change, but……

--------------------------–

How could someone complain about this. When it turned out the WMD didn't exist, all we heard from the Republicans was "Support the troops", "Support the troops". Well here is a great way to support our troops. As to your question as to "waiting months for this"...I don't know why the troops had to wait. Why didn't a republican who still thinks the war was a great thing come up with this years ago?...someone like John McCain for instance?
Why it took

BTW having worked with Vets I know personally we owe them a huge debt. If you saw the medical costs, wait time and quality of the VA hospitals, you would understand that this is a relatively inexpensive means of assisting people who have put so much on the line for our country. Novel? Yes. Foolhardy? Hardly....Just a creative mind trying to help people in need on a limited budget.

Wow. A senator that is bringing real human needs to the table rather than working for lobbyists. Franken is a breath of fresh air in the staleness of Washington DC.

"I'm amazed that our country is still functional with the new brand of nonstop idiocy which has gripped our Government"

Shame on you. You are pathetic. Service dogs can completely change the lives of emotionally scarred soldiers coming back from war with PTSD. I watched a documentary on television about these programs, and it was very moving to watch how these animals impacted their lives. This is not simply a "companion" to provide empathy and love, these people literally cannot function without them. They truly couldn't live without them.

This is an excellent start to his Senate career.

This is not as stupid as people think. It's a low-cost, effective way to prevent suicide and increase the well-being of veterans, especially disabled ones. Science says that pets make people more content, and trained dogs are helpful for disabled people. Thank you for finding evidence-based solutions, Senator Franken. We Minnesotans appreciate it.

People are already whining about him being a comedian, but what's funny about what he's doing? Seems sensible to me. Trained dogs help, ask the soldiers who've already come into contact with them.

BTW, Doug Neumann, how does the rate at which Sotomayor was overturned compare to the rate other justices were overturned? And can you inform us why and exactly how bad her decisions were? People love to talk when they have no idea what they're talking about.

Speaking of dogs, where is the obligatory Sarah Palin commentary?

Hundreds of them, so 100 dogs cost = 2 MILLION 500 THOUSAND, such a waste. I support the veterans, but dogs??

Thus far I've been impressed with Sen. Franken. He seems to be very well spoken, educated about what's going on, and very capable. Of course he's too new to really judge yet, but he seems alright so far.

I really like this bill he's come up with too. It's got my support!

I hope some of the dogs he gets are American Pit Bulls.... not a play on words or anything.. they are a great dog.

Why don't we stop sending them to foriegn lands in UN-CONSTITUTIONAL wars!

Another Democratic spending program. Didn't take him long.

All of you people who have spread this suffocating negativity throughout our country since Barack was elected will get yours indeed.

I promise, you will reap what you sow.

Your greed, selfishness, and self-centeredness will haunt you for life...

And your judgement will prove these words in death.

Mark 10:25

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

The world is a better place for Al Franken. Keep the Democracy comin' Al.

Franken really can't win, can he? If he does something small like this, the GOP will call him small-minded. If he were to have started with something lofty, he would have been called too big for his britches. Just let the guy do his job!

Om I'm sorry Republicans! Sorry it's NOT some Earth-Shattering headlines like hes cheating on his wife..........oh..wait a minute we'll save those headlines for Republicans....... Right on AL!! i think that is one the best initiatives put forth regarding vets and their rehabilitation back into American life.. And shame on those who put it down...

Nobel initiative? Check. Nice comment about finding it fun working with colleagues whether of the same party or not? Check.

Government canines provided for vets an essential element of life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Not real sure there Al. If the economy were a little more robust, I could maybe live with this one. As it sits, what happens when the vet gets his new puppy? They have to feed and care for it, or is that in the plan too? If so, I'd like a few bucks for my dogs. I'm a vet and have four. Maybe while you're at it, I could get some dough for feeding my chickens and goats.

Simpler solution, if the vet wants a dog, perhaps a generous veterinarian in his area could provide spay/neuter services at a highly discounted rate and the local pound could provide the pup. I'm certain a local trainer could provide services at less than 25K, maybe a voucher for the vet to get lower priced services from the trainer as a part of this bill. What happens next is that a veteran's dog will attack them, and then we'll need government to form a new agency to ensure the dog is trained to the stringent standard only meted out by government. Final cost 8.2 million per pet.

What a great idea! I hope there's a provision for having inmates train the dogs - at least in the early phases. There are several established programs that have shown dog training helps to rehabilitate prisoners. It may bring the cost down, too.

For the record, I heard Franken speak at a delegate convention. He is an intelligent man with expansive political commentary experience and a degree in political science from Harvard, so check someone's credentials and background before you attack them. BTW both of his children graduated from Ivy Leagues also so my guess is it's not a fluke that he's from an intelligent family...

At least he is thinking about the vets. It's a great start.
If his coleagues the Republican can also do something like that instead of proposing bills to:
1) Verify the birth certificate of the presidential candidate
2) Deny birth right citizenship to immigrants
3) Promote more crimes through personal assault weapon and owenership of WMD by individuals.
Jailed all abortion doctors or deny abortion to women but at the same time fight for less goverments in people's life.
Buch of idiots.

Mobius,

This is the part where we accuse you of not supporting our troops. What goes around comes around.

why doesn't the rich Senator spend his time helping poor people?

I find your headline - "Franken makes dog first priority" or whatever it was - disingenous. Making veterans a priority by supporting more service dogs for them is not trvial. (Would you demean efforts to get more service dogs to the blind?)

Your headline was insulting to the vets who need these dogs and to Senator Franken.

More bias from the media, this we do not need.

@Mobius: How is it idiocy to try to do something to aid our wounded vets? Maybe you don't agree with some of his stands, I don't. However, save your vitriol for something appropriate. Mindless attacks against everything that comes from someone in "the other party" does not help the democratic process of our government. If you can't be part of the solution, at least try not to be part of the problem.

Al, you've got my vote all over again.

I think this is an Excellent idea for are men and women...

I dont get it,the Republican patron saint Ronald Reagan was in a movie starring a monkey(bedtime for bonzo)and now they attack Franken for being in SNL.What a joke.

Is this a joke?

seriously what a waste of a senate seat.

Doug,
How many times did the GOP appointed judges get overturned? Keep in mind that they served a much shorter time then Sotomayor.

And how much of our tax dollars does he want to waste on this?

Just one of those stories that reminds us of how calloused and insensitive the Republican base can actually be. No wonder there so few left in the national government and why their numbers continue to drop. As a Viet Nam veteran, I think it is high time that someone, regardless of their occupation prior to getting into politics, came up with some creative ideas to help those men and women the Republicans sent to war cope with the results.

Well, here's my question Al.............will these dogs come from the shelters or are you planning on purchasing them from breeders? If they don't come from shelters I will know you're more of a fool than I first thought. Don't be like Obama and Kennedy and purchase these dogs from breeders when there are thousands of wonderful dogs at shelters needing good homes.

just what this country needs another left wing socialist liberal is there something in the water in minnesota, i would have voted for coleman for the simple reason that he was a roadie for ten years after at woodsock and we know how they stole the show, true story,

Funny enough, he's 100% correct about what these dogs can be trained to do and the measurable effect thereof. Sure, you can superficially trash his idea silly if you want, but he's got a suprisingly good point when you look under the hood. What's better, $25,000 training for dogs that may help decrease the suffering of and medical costs for our veterans OR untold health care and societal costs when our veterans have prolonged mental and physical illness as a result of their service and sometimes end up homeless because of it? A warning to the GOPers: be very careful, because this guy will dance circles around you just like Obama and many others have been doing if you refuse to look beyond the superficial.

As an Iraq veteran, I'm glad to finally see people in Congress caring about soldiers and veterans. I received 2 severely herniated discs in an IED blast in OIF1. Later after returning home, I was stop-lossed and sent back to Iraq even though I had a P3 profile and designated non-deployable. I completed my final tour and when I left service the VA did nothing for me.

Since we have a new administration, and a new head of the VA, I have been asked to return.. and they are taking care of me now.

I was a Republican before I joined the military... now I can't stand them.

Right on! Franken is doing what he promised- setting aside partisanship and focusing on something that is affecting many of our vets. In addition, he is taking a nuanced approach to a problem while using his personal creative touch to help those who, it seems, the system has forgotten. It's not ALL about taxes, judges, and stimulus packages. Thanks Senator Franken for proving that a politician CAN in fact live up to their campaign promises to look out for EVERYONE

Al's strategy after his election debacle- lay low, be nice to everyone, support causes like this one that no one can possibly be against.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, back all kinds of silly left wing proposals that would annoy a lot of the folks back home...if they knew!

The republicans (party of supporting the troops apparently) will be the first to come here and bash this is bet.

All of your horribl ecynics ned to get a life. You should all be shipped off to the war that your beloved President Bush and his sidekick Cheney created.

These poor people come home from this awful war not knowing what hit them. I think the love and companionship of a wonderful animal trained for this type of thing is the least we could do.

Or perhaps you folks would like another tax cut for the rich??

I have nothing against this idea however Sen. Franken is this what you can only come up with, when the economy is down the drain, Obama is trying to ram down everyone throats his thug versionof the health bill, which i just read includes 12 million illegal immigrants covered (who don't pay taxes!!!) and why aren't you questioning the fact that the Obama administration is suppressing the budget outcome for mid-July until mid-august . What is in the budget results that Obama does not want us to know. Talk about transparceny!!!

Mobius,

Why is it that Republicans like yourself extol the vitures of our Veterans, but then promptly turn your back on them when they get wounded in one of your phony wars?

Thank you Senator Franken for helping the veterans and thank you for visiting the Soldiers overseas. My home state Senators (Kalifornistan) could learn from your example.

Thank you Senator Franken. Finally, someone is looking out for our vets!

Good for him...he is wanting to make a difference in the lives of our valued vets while saving animals from possible euthanasia! Luv it!!!

And if the dog is good enough and smart enough, well gosh darn-it....those veterans will like it.

Let's see how many people complain about this. I'm curious to know how many people on here don't believe that our veterans deserve the world for defending our country.

Please, voice your hate so we know how much you care about the men and women who sacrificed their personal life to defend yours.

Maybe this isn't some comlicated piece of legislation but our veterans are treated like total crap and we have negleted these brave people for too long. It's time we gave back to them.

Seriously? What is so terrible about training dogs to be of service to veterans? You soulless Republicans. You sent those people there and then you have the audacity to balk when an opportunity comes along to help them. You are heartless. Yeah. Send them back for more counseling at the vet's hospital. That has worked out so well.

Nice place to start Sen. Franken.

is this a joke

Dogs for vets? Republicasn will slam this down for sure. Veterans are NOTon their priority list.

I'm surprised at the responses to this article. It's a great idea. I guess it goes to show that to the negative posters that "ingnorance is bliss."

I applaud this effort to put my tax dollars to good use (for once).
I think it is an excellent cause, and agree that anything we can do
to support Veterans mental and physical well being, is the Patriotic thing to do. Thank you Senator Franken.

I am not a fan of Al Franken but I do like this idea and commend him making it a priority.

I think this is a GREAT idea! Senator Franken wants to take care of others before he takes care of himself ... something that most of those sent to Washington to govern have forgotten.

To all the critics of this idea ... remember, that sometimes the smallest thing can reap the greatest rewards!

Thanks, Minnesota.

I knew you were elected for a reason Sen. Franken. A politicain who actually listens. Why hasn't anyone else in Congress come up with this idea?

A better idea than 99% of the Obama agenda.

Is the is a Joke??

I love dogs and I love vets....but how about a plan to get out of Iraq. How about a plan to kill Bin Laden and win in Afghanistan. How about a plan to get the economy growing again. More Jobs? Balanced budget? Health reform that doesn't require a tax increase? North Korean Nuke Program? Iranian Nuke program? Our failing public education system?

Is this really Franken's priority or is CNN just trying to make him look stupid?

Did he really? Or is this just a comedy skit? With these celebrity politcians you never know when its for real or an act made for T.V. The Gipper did it better than anyone or was his name Dutch? Anyhow the guy that was on the cowboy show Borax 21 mules sponsered.

right on al!

"..Tremendous judge like Sotomeyer?" Hey Al, have you reviewed her cases and how many times she has been overturned?

What a suck up.

Priceless.

THIS is what we waited for all these months to get this brilliant political mind in the US Senate? I guess that *is* change, but......

I'm amazed that our country is still functional with the new brand of nonstop idiocy which has gripped our Government since January....and of course, except for the brand name, it's not really any change at all.

Well, you have to start somewhere, this is a worthy effort on behalf of our men and women in uniform.

And I agree with you Franken: listen, listen to the voice of your constituents.The path will be much clearer to you then.