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PRESIDENT BUSH VOWS TO VETO DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

BILL -- Wounded warriors and veterans stand

to lose in budget battle.

For a complete list of wounded warrior and veterans' provisions in this bill...go to Thomas... http://thomas.loc.gov/ and type in H.R. 1585.

Below is a quick list, then a news story follows:

Sec. 1616. Establishment of a wounded warrior resource center.

Sec. 1617. Notification to Congress of hospitalization of combat wounded service members.

Sec. 1623. Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries.

Sec. 1624. Report on establishment of centers of excellence.

Sec. 1631. Medical care and other benefits for members and former members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses.

Sec. 1634. Reports.

Sec. 1644. Authorization of pilot programs to improve the disability evaluation system for members of the Armed Forces.

Sec. 1645. Reports on Army action plan in response to deficiencies in the Army physical disability evaluation system.

Sec. 1646. Enhancement of disability severance pay for members of the Armed Forces.

Sec. 1647. Assessments of continuing utility and future role of temporary disability retired list.

Sec. 1650. Required certifications in connection with closure of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia.

Sec. 1651. Handbook for members of the Armed Forces on compensation and benefits available for serious injuries and illnesses.

Sec. 1662. Access of recovering service members to adequate outpatient residential facilities.

Sec. 1663. Study and report on support services for families of recovering service members.

Sec. 1664. Report on traumatic brain injury classifications.

Sec. 1665. Evaluation of the Polytrauma Liaison Officer/Non-Commissioned Officer program.

Sec. 1671. Prohibition on transfer of resources from medical care.

Sec. 1672. Medical care for families of members of the Armed Forces recovering from serious injuries or illnesses.

Sec. 1673. Improvement of medical tracking system for members of the Armed Forces deployed overseas.

Sec. 1674. Guaranteed funding for Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia.

Sec. 1675. Use of leave transfer program by wounded veterans who are Federal employees.

 Sec. 1702. Individual rehabilitation and community reintegration plans for veterans and others with traumatic brain injury.

Sec. 1704. Research, education, and clinical care program on traumatic brain injury.

Sec. 1705. Pilot program on assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury.

Sec. 1706. Provision of age-appropriate nursing home care.

Sec. 1708. Service-connection and assessments for mental health conditions in veterans.

Sec. 1710. Clarification of purpose of outreach services program of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 1711. Designation of fiduciary or trustee for purposes of Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.

Story here... http://www.latimes.com/news/p
olitics/la-na-bush29dec29,0,1782120.story?coll=la-home-center

Story below:

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Bush balks at signing defense bill

The measure has a provision that could tie up Iraqi assets in U.S. lawsuits. Democratic leaders criticize the administration for not objecting to it before it was passed.

CRAWFORD, TEXAS -- President Bush is refusing to sign a $696-billion defense bill because it includes a provision that the administration fears would risk tying up billions of dollars in Iraqi assets in U.S. lawsuits, the White House said today.

The provision was included in the extensively debated bill setting broad Pentagon spending and policy priorities - not the spending bill that funds U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But it drew close attention only in recent days, when the White House realized it posed what one official called "extraordinarily grave financial risks to Iraq."

Democratic congressional leaders expressed irritation at the White House for not flagging the objectionable provision earlier; they said Friday they expect a quick remedy when lawmakers come back into session next month.

At issue is whether plaintiffs with claims against countries deemed to be state sponsors of terrorism should be allowed to ask American courts to freeze those countries' assets in U.S. financial institutions while lawsuits make their way through the courts.

The White House said Friday that the provision would allow Iraq's assets, estimated to be as much as $30 billion, as well as construction projects run by U.S. firms, to be frozen if American plaintiffs sought damages for actions carried out by the government of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

In a joint statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) noted that the measure was approved by large bipartisan margins in each chamber, and said that Bush was "bowing to the demands of the Iraqi government" and its threats to withdraw the money invested in U.S. banks if the bill is signed.

"The administration should have raised its objections earlier," they said.

Officials said that Bush was forced to disapprove of the bill because the alternative -- signing it and asking Congress to quickly amend it to remove the provision to which he objects -- would still leave Iraqi funds exposed to court restrictions for several months.

Democratic leaders said the president's decision jeopardizes vital initiatives to help the troops, including a 3.5% military pay raise and expansions to care for wounded veterans.

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it was "unfortunate that the administration failed to identify the concerns" before now.

"I am deeply disappointed that our troops and veterans may have to pay for their mistake and for the confusion and uncertainty caused by their snafu," he said.

But Tony Fratto, another deputy White House press secretary, said military personnel would receive an automatic 3% pay raise as scheduled, and that the remaining 0.5% raise would be retroactive once a new bill is passed and signed.

The provision at issue was written by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and added to the defense authorization bill in September.

Ten days ago, after the defense authorization bill had passed the House and Senate, Iraq's ambassador to the United States, Samir Sumaidy, publicly criticized the provision, which he said would make the new Iraq liable for crimes committed by Saddam Hussein's regime.

"This legislation offends the basic sovereignty of Iraq and threatens the important US-Iraqi alliance," he said Dec. 19.

Congress is likely to consider a fix when lawmakers return from their holiday recess on Jan. 15.

james.gerstenzang@latimes.com
noam.Levey@latimes.com
Gerstenzang reported from Crawford and Levey from Washington.

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Larry Scott  --

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