"I'd like to
emphasize this statement: War time changes a family, it shouldn't take
away the ability to have one," Tracy Keil, wife of Iraq War veteran Mike Keil, told the the
Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (we covered that hearing in the June 27, 2012 and June 28, 2012 snapshots).
And it shouldn't.
And it shouldn't.
Senator Patty Murray's office issued the following last week.
That's Senator Patty Murray speaking on the floor of the Senate Thursday about a very important issue. For those who need or prefer text, here are her remarks:
RSS Feed for Senator Murray's office
That's Senator Patty Murray speaking on the floor of the Senate Thursday about a very important issue. For those who need or prefer text, here are her remarks:
“On Tuesday I came here to the floor to discuss one issue we are rarely divided on in this building.
And
that is our duty to keep the promise we’ve made to provide not only
care - but opportunity - to all those who’ve honorably served in our
nation’s Armed Forces.
The
comprehensive veterans legislation before us today is really the test
for many members of Congress. Can we put politics aside for the good of
our nation’s veterans to keep
that promise?
Can
we show these heroes that - despite our differences - we will work as
diligently toward getting them the benefits and care they’ve earned as
they have worked for our nation?
“Unfortunately
our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are indicating they’d
prefer to put politics over promises under the guise of an alternative
to this
bill. Given what we have seen recently on other bills supported by a
majority of Americans, I shouldn’t be surprised. But I truly did think
this bill would be a different story. Because it contains ideas from
both Democrats AND Republicans. Because this is
an issue that has historically united this body. And because we have
ALL pledged to do whatever it takes on behalf of our veterans. But once
again, our colleagues have decided to use unrelated issues to sour this
entire effort for the veterans and their families
who stand to benefit the most from this comprehensive legislation.
“Additionally,
with their alternative bill, they’ve stripped away life changing
programs for veterans who are looking to take the skills they’ve learned
from the battlefield to the boardroom. They’ve
decided to halt the expansion of opportunities for caregivers – who are
integral to the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable
heroes. But among these – and many other – examples of the Republican
effort to derail this landmark legislation, there
is one issue I find most egregious: And that is their shameful
opposition to providing our catastrophically wounded heroes with access
to the reproductive services they so desperately need to start a
family.
“This
shouldn’t be a political issue – Because this is about giving veterans
who have sacrificed everything -- every option we have to help them
fulfill the simple dream of starting a family. As we all
know, our men and women in uniform have become increasingly susceptible
to reproductive, spinal and traumatic brain injuries due to the
changing weapons of war. But thanks to modern medicine, many of these
servicemembers are being kept alive and are returning
home. In fact, as of the New Year, there are 2,348
servicemembers who are living with reproductive, urinary or pelvic
injuries. And like so many of our veterans, these men and women come
home looking to return to their lives, to find employment, and
so often to start a family. Yet what they find when they go to the VA
is that the fertility services available don’t meet their complex
needs.
“In fact, veterans suffering from these injuries find that the VA is
specifically barred from
providing more advanced assisted reproduction techniques such as IVF.
They are told that despite the fact they have made such an extreme
sacrifice for our nation we cannot provide them with the medical
services they need to start
a family. Veterans like Staff Sergeant Matt Keil – and his wife Tracy.
“Despite
returning home from Iraq a quadriplegic, Staff Sergeant Keil and Tracy
started exploring the possibilities of starting a family together. But
because his injuries prevented him from having children
naturally, Tracy turned to the VA and began to explore her options for
fertility treatments. But because of the VA ban, they were turned away.
Out of options, the Keil’s decided this was important enough to them
that they were willing to pay out-of-pocket
for IVF treatment in the private sector – to the tune of almost $32,000
per round of treatment. Thankfully, Staff Sergeant Keil and Tracy
welcomed their twins Matthew and Faith into the world after just one
round of treatments.
“Tracy
told me, ‘The day we had our children something changed in both of us.
This is exactly what we had always wanted, our dreams had arrived. The
VA, Congress and the American People have said countless
times that they want to do everything they can to support my husband or
make him feel whole again and this is your chance. Having a family is
exactly what we needed to feel whole again. Please help us make these
changes so that other families can share in
this experience.’
“Tracy
and Matt are not alone. There are many men and women out there who
share this common thread of a desperate desire to fulfill their dream of
starting a family only to find the catastrophic wounds
they sustained while defending our country are now preventing them from
seeing that dream through.
“It
should not be this way. Unfortunately, Republicans are indicating they
will not join us in overturning this absurd and antiquated ban.
Apparently they’d rather our nation’s heroes spend tens of thousands
of dollars in the private sector to get the advanced reproductive
treatments they need to start a family. They don’t see the problem in
letting our veterans’ marriages dissolve because the stress of
infertility, in combination with the stresses of readjusting
to life after severe injury, driving their relationship to a breaking
point.
“Any servicemember who sustains this type of serious injury
deserves so much more. Because we came VERY close to making this
bill a reality last Congress. In fact, with Tracy Keil watching from the
gallery here, we unanimously passed this legislation.
Unanimously.
“But
here I am today, once again imploring Republicans to stand up and
explain to our men and women in uniform – who I know are paying very
close attention to this debate – And explain to them why they
want to turn their back on the catastrophic reproductive wounds that
have become a signature of these wars. On Tuesday, I spoke to a crowded
room of heroes from Disabled American Veterans – and told them the
heartbreaking story of the Keil Family and why we
need this critical legislation. And if their cheers and applause are
any indication, I’d say they wholeheartedly agree that our women
veterans deserve this, our male veterans deserve this, and our military
families deserve this.
“So
I’ve come to the floor today to ask my colleagues a simple question:
Are you willing to tell all those brave men and women -- that didn’t ask
questions when
they were put in harm’s way -- that you are going to let politics get
in the way of our commitment to them? The catastrophic wounds we have
seen from injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan have meant that our veterans’
dreams to start a family have been put on hold
because of the tremendous cost of IVF services. But we believe that’s a
cost of war that VA absolutely should cover and it’s unacceptable to
let unrelated issues stand in the way.
“Even
the major Veterans Service Organizations and their leaders have said
issues like Iran sanctions have no place in this comprehensive
veterans legislation. People like American Legion Commander Daniel
Dellinger who said, ‘Iran is a serious issue that Congress needs to
address, but it cannot be tied to S. 1982, which is extremely important
as our nation prepares to welcome millions of U.S.
military servicemen and women home from war.’
“Or
IAVA Founder and CEO Paul Rieckhoff, who called this comprehensive
legislation, ‘a game changer that will change the trajectory
for millions of veterans for decades to come.’
“As serious and timely as they may be, unrelated issues like Iran sanctions are calculated attempts to intentionally dismantle
our bipartisan effort to expand health care, education opportunities, employment and other benefits for our nation’s heroes.
We can’t allow our commitment to them to lapse or to get caught up in separate issues or political grandstanding.
“I’d
like to once again thank the Senator from Vermont and his staff for
their tireless work to work to bring this legislation here to the floor.
“I
hope our colleagues will reconsider opposing this common-sense step
that will give those who have sacrificed everything the reproductive
treatments they need to start a family.”
###
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Meghan Roh
Press Secretary | New Media Director
Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
Mobile: (202) 365-1235
Office: (202) 224-2834