Wounded soldiers will no longer pay $8.10 a day for hospital food

[soup]

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/18/Worldandnation/Bill_will_let_the_war.shtml">Bill Will Let the War Wounded Eat Free

A law forcing enlisted patients to pay $8.10 a day for hospital food appears headed for the scrap heap.
By BILL ADAIR, Times Staff Writer
Published October 18, 2003


WASHINGTON - Wounded soldiers will no longer have to reimburse the government $8.10 per day if they eat hospital food.

Congress has reversed a federal law that required thousands of soldiers who receive a meal allowance to reimburse the government for food they ate while hospitalized. The new law, which applies to soldiers who were injured or became ill while in a combat zone, also requires the government to pay refunds to those who were billed for hospital meals since Sept. 11, 2001.

The prime sponsor was Rep. C.W. Bill Young, the Largo Republican who chairs the House Appropriations Committee. He and his wife, Beverly Young, learned of the bills from Marine Staff Sgt. Bill Murwin, who lost part of his foot after a grenade explosion in Iraq. Murwin was billed $243 for hospital food.

The government has required the reimbursement from enlisted personnel since 1981. The goal was to ensure that soldiers were not "double-dipping" by eating hospital food and then pocketing their $8.10 meal allowance.

>snip<

Congress moved with remarkable speed to fix the law. Young heard about the problem in the spring and found unanimous support for the change. Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., introduced the Senate version, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., proposed it be retroactive to Sept. 11.

In the House, Young made the change by attaching an amendment to the $87-billion bill that pays for Iraqi reconstruction. He said he normally does not like to make legal changes with that kind of tactic, but he said he wanted to pass it quickly.

more at link above


As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Makes me wonder though, what else has been tacked onto this bill.

on edit- tried to make title more coherent :crazy:

[realFedUp]

1. I think they'll eat better on $87 billion

:eyes: