October 1, 2007

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada hailed passage of the Defense Department Authorization bill.  The bill includes the Concurrent Receipt for Unemployable Veterans Act and the Combat-Related Special Compensation Act, two important pieces of legislation that ensure veterans receive the retirement benefits and health care they were promised when they enlisted.  

“For years, I have been fighting for benefits for disabled veterans,” said Reid.  “Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for our country and they, along with other veterans, deserve to be taken care of.  This bill keeps our promise to veterans and supports our troops.  I applaud the Senate for passing this important measure.”

Reid’s Concurrent Receipt legislation will permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service connected disability to receive both their military retirement pay and full disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Combat-Related Special Compensation Act, sponsored by Reid, would ensure that servicemen and women forced into medical retirement due to combat injuries before attaining twenty years of service are eligible to receive combat-related disability and retirement benefits, proportional to their length of service.