WASHINGTON D.C. – Sen. John Kerry announced today that he will work tirelessly to immediately bring the recommendations of the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors to the Senate floor for a vote. Kerry also responded to the new report, which was issued this morning, in the wake of the scandal on troop care at Walter Reed Medical Center and other facilities. Kerry also strongly criticized President Bush, who upon receiving the report this morning said only that findings were “very interesting” while his spokesman said there were no plans to take immediate action on the report.

 

“Congress needs to act on these recommendations immediately and we cannot tolerate White House foot dragging on yet another bipartisan commission’s findings,” Kerry said. “The White House stonewalled the advice of the 9/11 Commission and the Iraq Study Group, and we’re less safe because of their inaction. That pattern must not be repeated when it comes to helping America’s veterans. The crisis at Walter Reed was a tragic reminder that the government failed to plan for a new generation of veterans, and there is no excuse for waiting to get them the help they need. The important recommendations in this report must be turned into an improved reality for our hard-working military and I intend to work tirelessly with my colleagues to make sure that happens.”

The Commission Recommendations Include:

1. Implement comprehensive Recovery Plans
2. Restructure disability and compensations systems
3. Improve care for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI)
4. Strengthen support for families
5. Transfer patient information across systems
6. Support Walter Reed until closure
 

The nine-member Commission, headed by Fmr. Sen. Bob Dole and Fmr. Sec. of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala, was established by Executive Order to “conduct a comprehensive review of the care America is providing our wounded servicemen and women returning from the battlefield.”

 

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