Further delays for wounded warrior bills - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Further delays for wounded warrior bills

Although Senate Democratic leaders talked in July about the importance of quickly passing legislation to improve the treatment and benefits for wounded combat veterans, that now appears unlikely to happen.

When Congress returns to work next week after a month-long recess, the package of improvements will not be ready for them to pass.

Enactment of the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act requires the House and Senate to reach agreement on a compromise between their vastly different versions. The Defense Department also plays a role, with some defense staff members meeting Tuesday with House and Senate aides to discuss disability benefit alternatives. But aides, speaking on the condition of not being identified, said very little has been done to reconcile differences and that it could take weeks for a compromise to be reached.

On July 25, the Senate separated the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act from the 2008 defense authorization bill that then passed it by voice vote, with Democratic leaders saying it was important to get the improvements into law.

“Our wounded warriors cannot wait, and should not have to wait, for us to finish the Department of Defense authorization act to get the relief contained in this bill,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the defense bill, bogged down over amendments related to Iraq policy, could wait until later in the year because few of the provisions would have an immediate impact. The wounded warrior provisions, though, would take effect as soon as the bill is signed into law, Reid said.

The House passed its version of the bill on March 28, and also attached the legislative package to its version of the 2008 defense authorization bill passed in May.