“Thank you for your service. Now go shoot yourself.”

Republicans were able to wrest this small victory out of the temporary postponement of their ongoing threat to shut down the government.

Republicans were able to use the spending legislation to curtail a policy instituted by the Veterans Affairs Department that aims to prevent veteran suicides by flagging to a federal gun background check system when veterans are found to lack the mental capacity to handle their own finances.

Under language the G.O.P. insisted on, the V.A. could not do so without a court order. Republicans contended that the current practice relies on an overly broad definition of incompetence and could infringe upon veterans’ Second Amendment rights.

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God forbid veterans who are facing extreme emotional and financial challenges aren’t able to continue killing themselves in the ungodly numbers they do every day, by any means necessary. If there’s one thing guns are particularly great for, it’s suicide.