By Sean Mussenden
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON-Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., introduced legislation Thursday to overhaul benefit payments to disabled veterans, calling the current system woefully "outdated."
If approved, the proposal - which he titled "America's Wounded Warriors Act" - could drastically alter the way members of the armed services are compensated for injuries, especially younger ones fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Similar legislation was introduced in the House Thursday by Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, the top Republican on the Veterans' Affairs committee.
Burr is the top Republican on the Senate Veterans' Affairs committee.
The legislation faces an uncertain future in the Democratic-controlled Congress. And a leading disabled veterans group, Disabled American Veterans, said Thursday that they were troubled by the proposed overhaul.
Burr's proposal would revamp the current system, which he said had failed to keep pace with changes in medical technology.
Under current law, veterans are evaluated twice by the government for disability payments - once by the Defense Department and again by the
Department of Veterans Affairs. His proposal would do away with the Defense Department review.
It would also put more importance on the impact of disabling injuries on a veteran's quality of life, instead of the current method of basing payments largely on future lost income. And it would provide larger up front "transition" payments to help service members jump back into civilian life.
David Autry, a spokesman for Disabled American Veterans, said his organization was worried that the overhaul could lead to a reduction in veterans' benefits.
"We have some difficulties with it," Autry said.
In an interview, Burr said that under his proposal, the new system would be mandatory only for veterans leaving the military after the legislation takes effect. If older veterans want to continue drawing payments based on current calculations, they can.
"Nothing changes. They won't be adversely affected by one penny," he said.
(Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com or 202-662-7668)
If approved, the proposal - which he titled "America's Wounded Warriors Act" - could drastically alter the way members of the armed services are compensated for injuries, especially younger ones fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Similar legislation was introduced in the House Thursday by Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, the top Republican on the Veterans' Affairs committee.
Burr is the top Republican on the Senate Veterans' Affairs committee.
The legislation faces an uncertain future in the Democratic-controlled Congress. And a leading disabled veterans group, Disabled American Veterans, said Thursday that they were troubled by the proposed overhaul.
Burr's proposal would revamp the current system, which he said had failed to keep pace with changes in medical technology.
Under current law, veterans are evaluated twice by the government for disability payments - once by the Defense Department and again by the
Department of Veterans Affairs. His proposal would do away with the Defense Department review.
It would also put more importance on the impact of disabling injuries on a veteran's quality of life, instead of the current method of basing payments largely on future lost income. And it would provide larger up front "transition" payments to help service members jump back into civilian life.
David Autry, a spokesman for Disabled American Veterans, said his organization was worried that the overhaul could lead to a reduction in veterans' benefits.
"We have some difficulties with it," Autry said.
In an interview, Burr said that under his proposal, the new system would be mandatory only for veterans leaving the military after the legislation takes effect. If older veterans want to continue drawing payments based on current calculations, they can.
"Nothing changes. They won't be adversely affected by one penny," he said.
(Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com or 202-662-7668)