Boozman Military Employment Bill Passes Unanimously
Press Release
Boozman Military Employment Bill Passes Unanimously
Legislation introduced by U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) granting an early start of vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits to injured troops unanimously passed the House of Representatives late Wednesday afternoon.
H.R. 2239, the "Early Access to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Act of 2007" will expand eligibility for vocational rehabilitation benefits for severely injured service members undergoing long-term care and recovery.
Under current law, the VA is not permitted to provide Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) benefits until after a service member is discharged from Armed Forces. Rep. Boozman's legislation would allow the benefits to begin for any member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services or treatment, as long as he or she is determined to have service-connected disabilities that are likely to lead to their discharge or release from the Armed Forces.
"I am very pleased to see this agreed to unanimously," Boozman, ranking member of the Veterans' subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, said. "This is important legislation to ensure injured servicemembers, slated to be discharged because of their injuries, begin to receive the benefits they need to succeed in civilian life."
"It made no sense to delay access to benefits that will speed an injured service member's return to productive civilian life, including an ability to live independently as possible," Boozman added. "Many of those wounded in the Global War on Terror spend two or three years convalescing from their injuries and often find themselves with significant free time outside of their therapy sessions. That free time offers an ideal opportunity to make use of their vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits to prepare them for the civilian job market."
"My goal continues to be making sure every veteran can not only find a job, but a career" Boozman added.
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