John Cornyn: “for the past several months, our Nation has focused on the tragic stories of the shameful conditions our wounded…”

“for the past several months, our Nation has focused on the tragic stories of the shameful conditions our wounded soldiers have faced as outpatients in Building 18 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and the stories of the difficulty they faced as they tried to navigate the military and veterans health care and benefits systems following their return from Afghanistan and Iraq. This morning, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the ranking member--the committee on which I serve--as well as the Veterans' Affairs Committee had further hearings and detailed the work we have to do to bring down another wall, and that is the wall that separates our wounded warriors from the benefits they have earned by their noble service. Today I introduce the Veterans Housing Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 that will provide immediate and tangible assistance to our wounded servicemembers and their families by strengthening our current law. This legislation provides explicit VA housing and automobile grant eligibility to servicemembers and veterans with burn injuries, enhanced eligibility for grant assistance during the Department of Defense-to-Veterans' Administration transition, and requires the Secretary of the Veterans' Administration to report on possible improvements to the current law that would cover others with special disabilities, such as those with traumatic brain injuries.”