News

June 22, 2007

harkin pushes legislation to improve health care for members of the armed services

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) joined Senator Levin (D-MI) and members of the Armed Services Committee this week in supporting the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act. This legislation addresses care and treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), inconsistencies in the disability evaluations of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, poor medical facilities, and improving the transition from Department of Defense to Veterans Affairs.

“We have heard from our veterans and service members and have seen enough national news reports to know that the men and women who have serve our country often face neglect and poor treatment when they are trying to obtain medical care,” said Harkin. “We must work to give our military personnel and veterans the care they deserve. Supporting our troops means supporting them not only in battle, but also when they come home.”

Briefly, the legislation would:

  • Authorize additional funding for the treatment of TBI and PTSD;
  • Require the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive plan for research, prevention, and treatment of TBI;
  • Improve standards for Department of Defense medical facilities and military quarters housing patients;
  • Require the Department of Defense to implement a program to improve the disability evaluation system;
  • Require the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration to jointly develop policy on the transition between the agencies, as well as implement joint electronic health records;
  • Increase minimum severance pay for service members who sustain injuries in a combat zone; and
  • Expand eligibility for medically retired service members to access medical treatments provided for active duty service members.

The bipartisan bill was marked-up in a joint Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committee meeting last week.

Harkin has been involved in many efforts to ensure that military personnel and veterans have the resources they need to make a successful transition when they return home. In the 110th Congress, Harkin introduced the Coming Together for National Guard and Reserve Families Act, which expands family assistance programs, increases access to mental health and counseling services for family members, and provides information to teachers and mental health professionals who serve children from Guard and Reserve families.

Along with Congressman Boswell, Harkin also introduced the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, which takes a multifaceted approach toward the prevention of suicide, emphasizing the importance of social support, readjustment services, and further research to prevent and treat suicide among our nation’s veterans. The bill also ensures appropriate crisis management, referral, and staff training within all VA facilities.

With Senator Smith (R-OR), Harkin introduced the Heroes Helping Heroes Act, which provides veterans’ service organizations with resources to develop and promote peer support programs for the delivery of community reintegration support services for veterans. Harkin is also a co-sponsor of the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Act of 2007, which complements the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act by addressing the care of service personnel after they transition to the VA system.