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Alaskan Congressman Don Young is pleased to announce the introduction of H.R. 3502, the Wounded Warriors Commission Implementation Act, of which he is an original cosponsor. This bill will implement the six legislative actions recommended by the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.

"I am very pleased to be a part of this legislation," said Rep. Young. "I have always and consistently said that it is vital that we take care of our nation’s service members. In my experience with meeting and speaking with members of our military, there is a need for better health care. In our support of our troops overseas, we need to make sure we don’t forget our veterans back home. This bill will implement those actions to improve the management of medical care, personnel actions, and quality of life issues for members of the Armed Forces who are receiving care in an outpatient status. In the past I voted in favor of the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007 (H.R. 1538) and this legislation builds on that bill. Alaska is home to many brave members of the military, and I am working to ensure they are all cared for."

The six legislative actions to be implemented are:

• Clarifying the objectives for the Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) disability programs
• Providing lifetime Tricare benefits for combat-injured and their families
• Restructuring the VA disability payment system
• Enabling all Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans who need Post Traumatic Stress Disorder care to receive it from the VA
• Expanding eligibility for Tricare respite care and aide and attendant care
• Covering family members under the Family Medical Leave Act for six months