SCHIP Veto Hurts Families of Wounded Troops | Print | Email
Read more!Today, IAVA released a statement urging Congress to override the President's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. SCHIP includes two overlooked provisions that help families of critically wounded troops.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 15, 2007
Contact: Michael Houston, IAVA (212) 982-9699 or michael[at]iava.org
SCHIP Veto Hurts Families of Wounded Troops
Overlooked Provisions in Insurance Bill Have Significant Impact on Military Families
NEW YORK – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, today urged Congress to override the President’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization. SCHIP includes two little-known provisions which help the families of critically wounded troops. The provisions provide one year of employment discrimination protection to family members caring for severely injured troops, and extends permitted work leave for those family members from three months to six months. Congress passed SCHIP earlier this month, but President Bush vetoed the legislation for reasons unrelated to these military families’ amendments. This Thursday, the House will vote on whether to override the President’s veto.
“Any member of Congress who supports the troops should vote to override the President’s veto. If SCHIP fails, so does this protection for families of our most grievously wounded troops. These service members and their families carry the heaviest burdens of this war and they need all the help they can get,” said Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Executive Director. “Thanks to improved battlefield medicine, thousands of troops are surviving catastrophic injuries, but they face long and painful recoveries at home. The last thing these wounded heroes should have to worry about is whether the loved one at their bedside is going to lose his or her job.”
One in five severely wounded troops say a family member or friend has been forced to give up a job to care for them. This is true of Annette McLeod, who is featured in the national TV ad campaign IAVA is running this week to demand that Congress and the President improve care for veterans. Mrs. McLeod’s husband, Specialist Wendall McLeod, sustained multiple, life-threatening injuries while serving in Iraq. “When my husband returned home grievously wounded, it ripped my life apart,” said Mrs. McLeod. “I lived in South Carolina, but Wendell was being treated in Washington, DC. After just three months, the human resources department at the factory where I had worked for 20 years said I had exhausted my time off. Being forced to give up my job made a heart-wrenching and difficult time even harder.”
“Already this month, 70 service members have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. A number of them will require long-term care at hospitals which are far from their hometowns. The emotional and financial toll this takes on their loved ones is enormous,” said Rieckhoff. “The time to protect these families is now. This is not a partisan issue; it’s simply a matter of treating the families of wounded troops fairly. We urge lawmakers to vote the right way on this issue.”
Two elements of SCHIP impact the families of wounded troops. The first provision, known as the ‘‘Support for Injured Servicemembers Act,” would allow up to six months of leave for family members who serve as primary caregivers of combat-wounded service members. Currently, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides only up to three months of coverage. The second portion, ‘‘Military Family Job Protection Act,’’ prohibits employment discrimination against these family members by protecting their employment, promotion, and benefits for up to one year. The provisions can be found under Subtitle C, sections 621 and 622.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the nation’s first and largest group for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A non-profit and nonpartisan organization, IAVA represents more than 62,000 veteran members and civilian supporters in all 50 states.
