Senate passes benefits for vets' caregivers

[unhappycamper]

Senate passes benefits for vets' caregivers
By BEN EVANS
Associated Press Writer
Nov 19, 4:59 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed legislation that would provide monthly stipends and medical benefits to family members who stay home to care for severely injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The bill also includes travel expenses and training for the caregivers, improved health services for women veterans and rural areas, and nearly $1 billion for veterans medical facilities.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the measure would cost nearly $4 billion over the first five years, most of it to pay for the new caregiver benefits.

Although the bill had bipartisan support, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., held it up for weeks trying to persuade senators to pay for the new spending by making cuts in other programs. He tried without success Thursday to amend the bill to cut funding for the United Nations.

"If, in fact, we want to honor our veterans ... we ought to have the courage to make hard choices about how we pay for it," Coburn said.


Rest of article at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_VETS_CAREGIVERS?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-11-19-16-59-11

[Deb]

1. A very good thing!

k&r

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2. I like how the freepers stand behind our troops. GAR

Thanks for the update.

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3. then the sorry bastard is try to jump boat and claim support