Senate Passes Defense Appropriations Bill With Funds for Military Health Care

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http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=47916

Senate Passes Defense Appropriations Bill With Funds for Military Health Care


The Senate on Monday voted 92-3 to approve a $648 billion defense authorization bill (HR 1585) that includes nearly $950 million for military health care in fiscal year 2008, the Washington Times reports. The bill now heads into conference with the House version. However, President Bush has said he would veto the legislation because of a provision that would protect gays under federal hate-crime laws. If it is vetoed, Bush would be the first president to veto a defense authorization bill (Miller, Washington Times, 10/2).

Four amendments were added to the bill on Thursday. One of the amendments would bar most personality disorder discharges from the military until the Pentagon submits a report on such discharges. Another amendment would ensure wounded veterans receive transitional care from the military for 180 days from the time the servicemember is separated from active duty. A third amendment would extend for one year current prohibitions on raising military health care fees and prescription drug copayments. The final amendment would permit National Guard and reserve members who have served two years of active-duty service to receive accelerated G.I. Bill educational benefits (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 10/1).

Bush, who recently signed into law a continuing budget resolution (HJ Res 52), has threatened to veto eight of the 12 appropriations bills. Meanwhile, Democrats "challenged the president to be more open to negotiation instead of insisting his own budget targets be met," The Hill reports (Snyder, The Hill, 10/2).