WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) marked-up H.R. 1815, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, and approved a new special pay for soldiers wounded in combat based on legislation introduced by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-M) on behalf of a constituent and Marine, Lance Corporal James Crosby of Winthrop, MA.

“The amendment that was included in the HASC report will help address the current norm of cutting the pays of wounded members when they are evacuated from the combat zone for treatment,” Rep. Markey stated. “It was truly an honor to work with my colleagues on the committee to ensure that we take care of our wounded men and women who have risked their lives fighting for their country on the front lines.”

The bill includes a new special pay for soldiers wounded in combat, a direct response to Rep. Markey’s efforts on behalf of a constituent, Marine Lance Corporal James Crosby, and legislation Markey introduced last year titled the “Crosby-Puller” Act. This special pay, “Combat-related injury rehabilitation pay,” would provide $430/month to a solider like James Crosby, would was wounded by mortar fire in Iraq and was evacuated through Kuwait and Germany to the United States. Upon his evacuation, James saw his combat pay immediately slashed, even though he was paralyzed and fighting for his life. Crosby is one of 6,342 wounded soldiers who would benefit from the provisions for wounded troops in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006.

It is in the immediate aftermath of serious wounds that a soldier’s financial needs begin to mount. In recognition of this injustice, the new bill would provide this new special pay up to the day that the soldier
received a new form of insurance for traumatic injury received in combat, which would be no less than $25,000 in a lump sum (and as much as $100,000, depending on the seriousness of the injuries.)

H.R. 1815 is expected to will make its way to the House floor for a vote sometime next week. The bill, itself authorizes $441.6 billion in this year’s budget for Department of Defense and national security programs.