Senate votes to continue health care panel

Senate votes to continue health care panel
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday May 2, 2008 17:53:10 EDT

A joint committee responsible for improving the transition of combat-injured service members from active-duty to veterans’ status would live on into the next administration under legislation approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee.

A provision of the committee’s version of the 2009 defense authorization bill, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, extends for three years — until January 2012 — the duties of a joint Defense Department and Veterans Affairs Department senior oversight committee.

That panel is responsible for implementing recommendations for improving the military and veterans’ medical care systems and to ease transition between the two systems for severely wounded service members.

The armed services committee passed the defense policy bill Wednesday by voice vote.

The senior oversight committee is made up of career federal employees who, unlike political appointees, are expected to remain on the job after a new president takes office.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/military_combatcare_transition_050208w/