On Tuesday night, 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
Filner, Chairman of the House 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!
Visit our website:
www.naaop.org
