[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 133 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S11978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BILLING VETERANS FOR HOSPITAL FOOD

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I take a brief few minutes to say a few 
words about a situation that I think is a slap in the face to a brave 
Nevadan but also to thousands of others who wear the uniform of our 
great Republic.
  Bill Murwin is a deputy sheriff in Lyon County, one of 17 Nevada 
counties. It is a rural county, even though it is becoming more urban 
all the time with the tremendous growth in Fernley and Silver Springs. 
Still we think of it as a rural county, a little over 60 miles outside 
of Reno.
  In addition to Bill being deputy sheriff, he is also a staff sergeant 
in the Marine Corps Reserve. When his country called, he left his 
family and went to fight in Iraq. He was wounded a few months ago when 
a grenade exploded in a vehicle in which he was riding. He was treated 
at a military hospital in Germany and then because of the seriousness 
of his injury he spent 4 weeks at Bethesda. I am sorry to say this, but 
at Bethesda Naval Hospital he had to have part of his left foot 
amputated.
  Obviously, we owe a debt of gratitude to Sergeant Murwin, just as we 
owe a debt of gratitude to all those who bravely fought for our freedom 
over the years, particularly in the sands and cities of Iraq.
  Instead of gratitude--it is hard to comprehend--Bill Murwin got a 
bill from the Government in the amount of $243. Three days later he got 
a second bill, along with a threat that his account would be turned 
over to a collection agency if he did not pay up immediately.
  For what did he owe this large sum of $243? I say that somewhat 
facetiously, but to him $243 was a large amount of money. It was for 
the food he ate when he was having his foot amputated. It seems that 
military personnel who do not eat in a messhall, including those who 
have families, receive a monthly allowance for their food. But when our 
troops are wounded, they eat in a hospital, they are billed by the 
Government $8.10 a day for their hospital meals.
  I found out what happened to Sergeant Murwin when a coworker sent an 
e-mail to my office. I was disillusioned, disappointed, and somewhat 
upset to learn we have a policy and it has been in place for 22 years.
  Our troops in combat who are eating field chow are already allowed to 
keep their food allowance. Certainly, the same policy should apply to 
those who are in a hospital recovering from the injuries they received 
in the field.
  When a soldier is wounded in combat, we should not add insult to 
injury by making him pay for his hospital food. I am proud of Sergeant 
Murwin for coming forward to shed light on this mistaken policy.
  Today, he told a member of my staff:

       This isn't about me. There are guys in the hospital who are 
     18 or 19 years old and have been there for three months or 
     longer. . . .Some of them are expecting bills of $1,000 or 
     more. They [are] really fretting those bills.

  I think it is a national disgrace that anyone in this country has to 
worry about decent health care--and 44 million people have to worry 
about decent health care. But, really, when a soldier who is wounded in 
combat lies in a hospital bed worrying about a bill from his own 
Government for the food he is eating in the hospital, that is a little 
too much.
  I also acknowledge my friend, the Congressman from Florida, 
Representative Young. When he heard about this, he sent a bill to the 
Government to repay this bill for Sergeant Murwin. So I publicly 
acknowledge and appreciate what I read in the paper that my friend, 
Congressman Young, had done.
  I am proud to cosponsor Senator Graham's bill that would correct this 
ridiculous policy. I salute, as I said, Congressman Young for 
introducing a similar bill in the House and for paying the bill, 
literally, of my constituent.
  I hope every Member of both Chambers will act quickly to correct this 
outrage. And it is an outrage.

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