| Washington, DC – Today, the House passed H.R. 1538 the “Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007.” This bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Congressman Bill Shuster enhances the medical care our veterans receive from the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration.
“Passage of this legislation will ensure that our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan get the complete and comprehensive medical care they deserve,” Shuster said.
“I was disgusted when I learned of the conditions reported at Walter Reed. The men and women in our military hospitals can never be forgotten. We count on our troops when we need their protection. We can’t abandon them when they need our protection,” Shuster said.
H.R. 1538 represents the first legislative step to address the substandard conditions at Walter Reed National Army Medical Center, which serves more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military.
“When I toured the Altoona VA hospital earlier this month, I was pleased to find a well run, clean and effective facility. Unfortunately, all VA and DOD medical centers are not as good as our own. Today’s vote will bring us one step closer in bridging the gap.”
Among other things, the “Wounded Warriors Assistance Act” would:
· Assign 2 professionals, a medical case manager and a patient advocate, to assist any injured service member with treatment, rehabilitation, financial, administrative, personnel, transitional, and other matters.
· Creates an “Oversight Board for Wounded Warriors” to be composed of 12 board members, including 2 persons appointed by the House, the Senate, the President and the Department of Defense.
· Creates an “Oversight Board for Wounded Warriors” to be composed of 12 board members, including 2 persons appointed by the House, the Senate, the President and the Department of Defense to oversee the DOD and VA medical systems. |
