Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) sponsored new legislation last week aimed at helping veterans suffering from a traumatic brain injury. The new legislation would enable traumatic brain injury patients to extend their “active duty” status for an additional year after they initially suffered a TBI.
Currently, veterans suffering from brain injuries as a result of their service are forced to choose between staying on as “active duty” or receiving the best state-of-the-art care from the Department of Defense. The veterans could also chose to enter into retired status, and therefore return home and receive assistance from their local Department of Veterans Affairs.
While Senators Clinton and Bayh see this as only a “temporary fix,” they do believe it is a positive step in assisting service men and women, until a more permanent solution can be found. The Senators believe that more often than not, the soldiers are not receiving the kind of care they deserve, and therefore proposed this new legislation as a first step in the right direction.
You can read more on the new legislation here.