But larger bill is in jeopardy after GOP makes cuts to veteran care and fails to adequately address the Zika crisis
(WASHINGTON, D.C). – Today, Patty Murray (D-WA), released a statement after the House passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017 that included Murray’s provision to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cover the costs of assisted reproductive technology, including IVF. Currently, veterans who have service-related injuries that prevent them from having children naturally must cover the costs of IVF out of pocket, which can cost more than $12,000 per round. Sen. Murray has been fighting since 2012 to reverse this policy. However, the House-passed bill also cut veteran care by $500 million, and failed to adequately address the response to the Zika crisis. The bill now moves to the Senate.
“I am very encouraged that House Republicans are finally willing to help severely injured veterans achieve their dreams of having a family. Now that Democrats and Republicans, in the House and Senate, are on the record supporting this important step toward fulfilling the promises we’ve made to the veterans who have sacrificed so much, I am going to be fighting as hard as I can to get this done.
“However, while I commend my colleagues in the House for taking this important step forward on this provision, I am deeply disappointed that they have chosen to pick a partisan fight on the overall bill that includes cuts to veteran care and turns away from what should be a bipartisan response to the Zika crisis. I will continue to press my colleagues to correct course so we can finally get this done for the men and women of our military.”
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