Dems ask Bush to back wounded warrior bills

Dems ask Bush to back wounded warrior bills

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 17:20:03 EDT

The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman is asking President Bush to rally Republicans in support of pending wounded warrior legislation, rather than pushing the White House’s own plan.

Concerned that the administration’s plan unveiled last week could end up delaying work on the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act already approved by the House and Senate, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and other Democrats on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee sent a letter to Bush on Monday seeking his help in building Republican support for the ongoing negotiations to hammer out a compromise wounded warrior bill instead of allowing debate to take on a partisan tinge.

The letter also asks Bush to nominate someone to be the new secretary of veterans’ affairs, saying that having the position filled will make it easier for the administration to negotiate with Congress on details of the wounded warrior legislation and to push through other improvements in programs for disabled combat veterans that do not require congressional action.
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