Veterans

Murray's Work

Helping Our Wounded Warriors

In July of 2007, Senator Murray helped pass landmark legislation to improve care for wounded troops and

Passing the Wounded
Warriors Bill

veterans when they return home from battle. The Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act passed the Senate by unanimous consent.

"Today, the Senate took action to provide real solutions that meet the needs of our troops and veterans from the battlefield to the VA and everywhere in between. The Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act finally recognizes our troops as a cost of this war and reverses the trend of administration inaction that has cost them so dearly. "

The Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act:

Requires the Department of Defense and VA to work together to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent, treat and diagnose TBI and PTSD.
Directs the two agencies to develop and implement a joint electronic health record so that critical medical records are not lost as our wounded troops move from battlefield doctors to medical holds and on to the VA.
Requires the military to use VA standards for rating disabilities, only allowing deviation from VA standards when it will result in a higher disability rating for the service member.
Requires the military to adopt the VA presumption that a disease or injury is service-connected when our heroes – who were healthy prior to service - have spent 6 months or more in active duty

Video of Murray's Statement

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Keeping Your Local VA Hospital Open

Victory! On Thursday, May 5, Senator Murray announced victory in the fight to save the Walla Walla VA Medical Center from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ chopping block. Murray received the news Thursday morning in a meeting with Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

In July 2003, the VA was trying to close health care facilities in Tacoma, Vancouver and Walla Walla. Senator Murray immediately wrote to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, and questioned the VA’s general counsel at a Senate hearing.

The next day, Secretary Principi called Senator Murray and gave me his word that the American Lake VA Medical Center in Tacoma would not be closed. He also pledged that the VA’s CARES Commission would take input directly from Washington state veterans regarding the Vancouver and Walla Walla facilities. Secretary Principi kept his word.

In the months that followed, Murray worked closely with local veterans and visited the Vancouver medical center. She submitted testimony at CARES hearings in Vancouver and Walla Walla.

Then in February 2004, the CARES Commission submitted its report to Secretary Principi. It recommended keeping the Vancouver hospital open. But unfortunately, the Commission recommended closing the Walla Walla facility.

Senator Murray immediately sent a letter with Senator Cantwell to Secretary Principi opposing any
closure.

In April 2004, Senator Murray chaired a hearing and heard from veterans to build an official record to press the VA Secretary to keep the hospital open.

Murray's Statement
Witness Statements
Report: Effect on Veterans Access to
Mental Health Care

Timeline of Murray's Work to Keep Washington VA Hospitals Open

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Fighting for Veteran's Health Benefits

Increasing the VA Medical Care Account

Senator Murray proposed to increase funding for the Medical Care Account. She wrote a letter to urge support for an increase in the FY 02 Supplemental appropriation for the VA Medical Care Account.

In the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, the Senate added $417 million for emergency spending in the Medical Care account. This bill included $1.1 billion more than the President's budget and $2.5 billion more than the FY02 level. This will help fund the immediate shortfalls the VA is experiencing today. The bill was signed by the President on 8/2/02.

Helping Veterans in Under-Served Communities

Senator Murray has heard from many Washington veterans concerning the lack of local VA outpatient clinics. She is working with the regional VA office to address the underserved veterans in the Northwest and North central regions of the state.

On June 6, 2002, Senator Murray proposed a two-year pilot project to create Medical Outreach Programs in the Leavenworth and Whatcom County. This effort would establish a weekly outreach mission in or near Leavenworth and Whatcom County to provide basic medical care and to set up a good referral process for those who need further care in a larger facility. Senator Murray offered this program as an amendment to the Veterans Affairs bill, which was passed by Committee.

Concurrent Receipt - Allowing Veterans to Receive Both Retirement Pay and Disability Pay

Senator Murray believes that veterans should be able to receive both their hard-earned retirement pay and any disability pay they are due. Currently, many veterans are penalized for receiving both retirement pay and disability pay.

During the 107th Congress, Senator Murray worked to pass S. 2051, a bill that would have allowed concurrent receipt of retirement and disability pay. Senator Murray also cosponsored S. 170.

After years of working to end the discrimination against service-disabled veterans, Senator Murray was disappointed that the Bush Administration had limited Concurrent Receipt of retirement and disability pay to combat-disabled veterans.

While Senator Murray was appreciative of the help the legislation brings to those injured in combat, she was frustrated that service-injured veterans were not included. As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Senator Murray has worked tirelessly to end the discrimination in an effort to bring equal benefits to all our nation's veterans.

As a result, 35,000 combat-disabled veterans will receive concurrent receipt of retirement and disability pay, but 676,000 service-disabled veterans will still be forced to forfeit one dollar of retirement pay for every dollar of disability pay received.

The Senate passed a good bill in 2003, for the third year in a row. Unfortunately, the White House and the House Majority opposed it. They limited the benefit so it only helps military retirees with a 50 percent or more qualifying disability. And they delayed it so it won’t take full effect until 2014. Our veterans deserve better.

Senator Murray will continue to urge White House and the House Majority Leadership to do what the Senate has done three times -- end the disabled veterans tax once and for all.

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Assisting Military Widows

Senator Murray is a cosponsor of S.145, a bill that seeks a phased increase of the basic Survivor Benefit Plan Annuity. Because family members have also sacrificed for our country, we have an obligation to assist them.

Status: Unlikely to pass this year. It is a priority for next year.

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Recognizing Veterans Who Served in Korea

Senator Murray is a cosponsor of S. 999, a bill to provide a Korea Defense Service Medal to be issued to members of the Armed Forces who participated in operations in Korea after the end of the Korean War.

Senator Murray is also a cosponsor of S. 392, a bill to grant a Federal Charter to Korean War Veterans Association.

Status: Korean Defense Service Medal (S.999) is in the FY03 Defense Authorization Bill which is in conference committee. S. 392 passed the Senate with unanimous consent. It was referred to the House subcommittee on Immigration and Claims.

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Funding Medical Research and Prosthetics

Senator Murray is working with other Members of Congress to ensure adequate funding in medical care, research and prosthetics. Increased funding would allow the Veterans Administration to keep its promise to America's veterans.

The VA is one of the nation's premier medical research agencies in areas that affect veterans like Alzheimer's disease and the Gulf War Syndrome.

Murray fought for $5.6 million more than the President's budget and $29 million over the FY02 level for medical research.

Status: Awaiting vote on the floor of the Senate.

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Recognizing Navy Armed Guard Veterans

Senator Murray wrote and introduced Senate Joint Resolution 36 (Status | Text) to authorize special awards to World War I and World War II veterans of the United States Navy Armed Guard.