November 9, 2006
Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Larry Craig announced today that he will introduce legislation to expand benefits for veterans not covered under current provisions of the Wounded Warrior benefit. The Idaho Republican said he intends to introduce bill when Congress reconvenes in order to get the law changed quickly ? either this year or early next year.

"The wounded warrior legislation we passed last year has provided tremendous financial assistance to servicemembers who have been seriously hurt or injured since the war on terror began. But some were left out who should have otherwise benefitted, so we will attempt to fix that as soon as possible," said Craig, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

VA officials indicate that approximately 700 veterans would benefit from the change. The expanded definition, if adopted by Congress, will allow servicemembers injured outside the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of operation  -- from October 7, 2001, but before December 1, 2005 -- to receive payment for serious injures.

So far over 2,500 servicemembers have received a total of $164 million under the current Wounded Warrior benefit.   Sen. Craig authored that legislation last year.

The money has helped the injured and their families cope with the financial impact of long recuperation periods following the loss of limbs, blindness, severe burns and other serious trauma. By law the payments to the wounded and seriously injured range anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000. The average payment is $65,000.

Officially know as Traumatic Injury Protection under SGLI (TSGLI), the original legislation created a new benefit rider last year to the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Program (SGLI).

"Overall, the Wounded Warrior Project is very pleased with the TSGLI program implementation," testified Jeremy Chwat of the Wounded Warrior Project at a hearing in early September. "Unfortunately, there are still a handful of wounded warriors who do not qualify for this insurance payment."

He used the example of one serviceman as representative of others who would benefit from the change.

"Brave men and women like Seaman Robert Roeder who was injured on January 29, 2005 when an arresting wire on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk severed his left leg below the knee," Chwat testified. "Although the ship was on its way to the Gulf and the training exercises being conducted were in preparation for action in either Operation Enduring or Iraqi Freedom, Robert's injury does not qualify for payment."

Craig said he hopes to see that the law is changed so that Roeder and others like him can receive payment as soon as possible.

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