[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5072]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1420
         THE RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS DISABILITY BENEFITS ACT

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today my colleague, 
Representative Loebsack, and I are proud to reintroduce the Recovering 
Service Members Disability Benefits Act. This legislation is 
commonsense and fixes a glaring problem.
  Currently, our Nation's wounded warriors are forced to wait 5 months 
for their approved Social Security disability benefits. This is 
injustice to our Nation's heroes. These are benefits that they have 
earned at a very high price, and they deserve better.
  The Recovering Service Members Disability Benefits Act will remove 
this mandatory 5-month waiting period, allowing the wounded warriors to 
collect the benefits for which they have been already approved. To be 
clear, this bill does not approve benefit requests or add new 
individuals into the system. The bill simply expedites earned and 
approved benefits to eligible wounded warriors.
  It is an honor to introduce this legislation and correct this issue. 
Our disabled servicemembers deserve the immediate reassurance of 
knowing there is financial support as they cope with the emotional and 
physical challenges of recovery.
  Together, we hope this bipartisan legislation will be brought through 
committee and to the House floor in a swift manner.
  Thank you, and God bless all those who serve our country.

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