File #: Res 1117-2007    Version: * Name: Congress to pass as the “Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act”.
Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Committee: Committee on Veterans
On agenda: 10/29/2007
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass as the “Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act”.
Sponsors: Hiram Monserrate, Gale A. Brewer, Simcha Felder, Lewis A. Fidler, James F. Gennaro, Vincent J. Gentile, Alan J. Gerson, Sara M. Gonzalez, Letitia James, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Michael C. Nelson, James Sanders, Jr., Tony Avella, John C. Liu, Mathieu Eugene, Helen Sears, David I. Weprin, Thomas White, Jr.
Council Member Sponsors: 18
Attachments: 1. Committee Report 2/15/08, 2. Hearing Transcript 2/15/08, 3. Committee Report 3/12/08, 4. Hearing Transcript 3/12/08, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 3/12/08
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
3/12/2008*Hiram Monserrate City Council Approved, by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
3/12/2008*Hiram Monserrate Committee on Veterans Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
3/12/2008*Hiram Monserrate Committee on Veterans Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
2/15/2008*Hiram Monserrate Committee on Veterans Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
2/15/2008*Hiram Monserrate Committee on Veterans Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
10/29/2007*Hiram Monserrate City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
10/29/2007*Hiram Monserrate City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 1117

 

Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass as the “Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act”.

 

By Council Members Monserrate, Brewer, Felder, Fidler, Gennaro, Gentile, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Mark-Viverito, Nelson, Sanders Jr., Avella, Liu, Eugene, Sears, Weprin and White Jr.

 

Whereas, According to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), it is estimated that over 1.5 million American troops have served in Iraq or Afghanistan at one time or another; and

Whereas, According to the Department of Defense (DoD), as of October 17, 2007, there have been nearly 30,000 troops wounded in action; and

Whereas, In addition, some have estimated that many thousands more have been injured while in the war zone, but not in direct combat incidents, who are not counted in the DoD’s casualty report; and

Whereas, All of these men and women have been injured while serving their country and deserve to be given the best possible care in a timely and sensitive fashion; and

Whereas, The United States Government Accountability Office reports that three separate review groups have identified common areas of concern with respect to the provision of quality health care services to wounded soldiers, including inadequate case management to ensure continuity of care, confusing disability evaluation systems, the need to better understand and diagnose traumatic brain injury (TBI), and insufficient data sharing between the DoD and the Veterans Administration (VA); and

Whereas, A bill, S.1363, also known as the “Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act,” was introduced by Senator Hillary Clinton in May 2007 to improve health care for severely injured members and formers members of the Armed Forces; and

Whereas, The “Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act” would require that a member of the Armed Forces who is medically retired because of a physical disability incurred in, or aggravated by, military service be treated as an active-duty member for purposes of entitlement to military health care services and benefits for the longer of (1) the two-year period after medical retirement or (2) the period during which the member is on the temporary disability retirement list; and

Whereas, S. 1363 would also require that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs jointly establish an office for the coordination of assistance to members of the Armed Forces in their transition from military service to civilian life; and

Whereas, Additionally, this legislation would call for the reform of disability rating systems used by the DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs; and

Whereas, It is our obligation to ensure the best possible care for the brave men and women who sacrifice so greatly on behalf of our country; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass the “Bridging the Gap for Wounded Warriors Act”.

 

 

JP

LS 3761

10/18/07