WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. Senate voted 98-0 to pass the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009, a sweeping reform bill sponsored by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) for wounded warriors and the families who care for them.  S. 1963 merges two veterans’ health bills which passed the Committee with unanimous bipartisan support this summer, only to be blocked from a floor vote by a single Senator until today. 

“Today the Senate reaffirmed that caring for veterans is a cost of war, a cost wounded warriors and their family members should not be forced to pay alone,” said Akaka.  “I applaud my colleagues for recognizing the urgent need to pass this bill, and I thank the many veterans, veterans’ organizations, and concerned Americans who pushed for today’s vote.”   As passed by the Senate, this bill would, among many other things:

• Establish an unprecedented permanent program to train, support, and assist the caregivers of disabled veterans;
• Improve care for veterans in rural areas, reduce veteran homelessness, improve care for women veterans; and
• Improve VA’s ability to recruit and retain a strong workforce and provide quality assurance at its medical facilities.

Over 20 veteran and military organizations recently called for passage of the bill’s caregiver provisions.  That letter is available here. 

To see the vote tally, click here.  This bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

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November 19, 2009