The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics has issued the following call to action for the O&P community:
On November 30, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights (H.R. 5428) as part of a larger bill, H.R. 5953, the Women Veterans Bill of Rights. Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee, led the charge in placing this bill on the “suspension calendar,” leading to a favorable vote in the House.
The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration in the closing days of the 111th Congress. The hope is that the Senate will consider this bill under “unanimous consent” procedures, where, if no one objects, it automatically passes the Senate. However, there are many barriers that lie ahead, particularly with the contents of the Women Veterans Bill of Rights, and it is very late in the Congressional calendar.
NAAOP is working hard to secure passage of this important legislation and will continue to do so in the days and weeks ahead. Other O&P organizations have been supportive at critical stages. We call on all NAAOP members and friends in the O&P community to contact their Senate offices and encourage passage in the Senate of the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights (part of H.R. 5953-the Women Veterans Bill of Rights).
To contact your Senate office, please dial the Capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to speak with your Senator or Senate staffer in charge of VA issues.
The Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights is designed to make quality orthotic and prosthetic care more consistent to veterans across the country. The bill would require the VA to post on its website and in every VA O&P clinic a list of rights that veterans have. These rights include access to appropriate technology, a practitioner of the veteran’s choice (both inside and outside the VA system), a second opinion with respect to treatment decisions, access to a functional spare orthoses or prostheses, and several other important provisions.
We hope you will take the time to make your support for this important legislation clear to your Senators.
Thank you for your assistance and to those who assisted with the House victory, congratulations!
NAAOP will continue to keep its membership informed of developments as they occur. For more information, visit www.naaop.org or e-mail info@naaop.org
