Cornyn Bill To Assist Wounded Soldiers, Their Families Advances In Senate

Press Release

Cornyn Bill To Assist Wounded Soldiers, Their Families Advances In Senate

The U.S. Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee unanimously approved legislation Wednesday that includes provisions by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn that will provide immediate and tangible assistance to wounded military service members and their families.

Sen. Cornyn, a member of the Armed Services Committee, introduced the Veterans' Housing Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, S. 1096, earlier this year to help burn victims obtain housing and automobile adaptation grants assistance, and to ensure that other wounded service members and veterans with specific needs receive housing and automobile adaptation grants. As the injured await their final Veterans Administration disability rating—a process that can take months—it would make certain they have suitable housing and automobile adaptation grant assistance.

Sen. Cornyn's measure, which strengthens current law by correcting inequities, was included in the the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, S. 1315, which the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee marked up and unanimously voted out of committee today. His bill received the bipartisan support and co-sponsorship of both the Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Ranking Member Larry Craig (R-Idaho), along with U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), and Mel Martinez (R-Fla.). The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

"We have a solemn obligation to the men and women who serve and have served in our military to ensure they receive the best treatment and benefits possible for themselves and their families," Sen. Cornyn said. "I'm encouraged that the Senate is advancing this important legislation that will provide immediate assistance to wounded service members and their families. We must continue taking all necessary steps, both legislatively and by cutting bureaucratic red tape, to provide America's service members the benefits they need and deserve."

Sen. Cornyn's legislation was a direct result of his conversations with soldiers, family members and veterans support group volunteers in Texas earlier this year, including during a roundtable he convened at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio in March.

"Brooke Army Medical Center is the crown jewel of military medicine. I have seen firsthand the magnificent job that the men and women at BAMC are doing in caring for our service members," Sen. Cornyn said. "I heard from many soldiers, families, and veterans at BAMC about their experiences, in particular of challenges that burn victims and their families have faced because they did not receive enough special care and assistance for such items as VA housing grants and automobile enhancements. These families are facing unique challenges as they deal with the injuries of their loved ones, and we have a responsibility to ensure that they don't go it alone, but that they are given the resources and assistance they need to recover."

Sen. Cornyn's Veterans' Housing Benefits Enhancement Act, now part of the broader Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, will do the following:

* Strengthen current law to provide for the specific needs of burn victims for housing and automobile grants;
* Ensure that wounded Service members/veterans with other specific needs such as Traumatic Brain injury are covered by grants, as required;
* Strengthen Department of Defense-to-Veterans Affairs transitions by providing partial housing grants for those Veterans residing with a family member to cover service members still on Active Duty awaiting their final VA disability rating;
* Require the VA to report on the need for a permanent Housing grant for wounded veterans residing with family members; and
* Adjust current law to provide Housing Improvements and Structural Adaptation Grant (HISA) grants to DOD service members awaiting final VA disability rating.

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