Wounded Warrior Legislation passed by Senate; moves to Conference Committee
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| Also listed in: Dodge County Minnesota DFL | Fighting Dems | Leaders of State Democratic Veterans Caucuses | MinnVets | MN Democratic Women | Tim Walz for Congress |
The Senate passed an important bill for veterans on 25 July. The next step before this bill goes to the President for signature is for differences between the Senate and House versions to be worked out in Conference Committee.
**Please contact your possible conference committee members and ask them to support the Senate version (S 1606), which is more generous with the benefits to Wounded Warriors than the House version (HR 1538).
Potential Conference Committee members include members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously passed the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act on June 13. The bill includes revisions to close the gap from the time a service member is separated from the Armed Forces and the time VA benefits begin.
The Senate version does not discriminate between combat and non-combat service related disabilities.
The bill, S1606, contains the following key provisions:
Mandates consistent disability rating across all services.
Requires the services to consider all service connected disabilities when establishing the disability rating.
Provides continuation of military health care benefits, including TriCare for new veterans and their families if their disability rating is less than 30%.
Addresses bureaucratic problems that led to wounded warriors having problems reported at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital (DoD).
Education awareness for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Integrated record exchange (DoD to VA).
Standard medical reporting.
System of reporting to quantify problems.
Sources for additional information:
www.thomas.gov
www.empoweringveterans.org
and websites of House and Senate Committees for Armed Services and Veterans Affairs, along with some websites of individual members of Congress.
**Please contact your possible conference committee members and ask them to support the Senate version (S 1606), which is more generous with the benefits to Wounded Warriors than the House version (HR 1538).
Potential Conference Committee members include members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously passed the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act on June 13. The bill includes revisions to close the gap from the time a service member is separated from the Armed Forces and the time VA benefits begin.
The Senate version does not discriminate between combat and non-combat service related disabilities.
The bill, S1606, contains the following key provisions:
Mandates consistent disability rating across all services.
Requires the services to consider all service connected disabilities when establishing the disability rating.
Provides continuation of military health care benefits, including TriCare for new veterans and their families if their disability rating is less than 30%.
Addresses bureaucratic problems that led to wounded warriors having problems reported at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital (DoD).
Education awareness for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Integrated record exchange (DoD to VA).
Standard medical reporting.
System of reporting to quantify problems.
Sources for additional information:
www.thomas.gov
www.empoweringveterans.org
and websites of House and Senate Committees for Armed Services and Veterans Affairs, along with some websites of individual members of Congress.
