Blog post

Senate Clears the Way for Stop Loss Payments
Posted by Tom Tarantino on June 18 2009

By a vote of 91-5 the US Senate has approved the H.R. 2346, the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act.  After a close 226-202 vote in the House on Tuesday, the Senate overwhelmingly approved H.R. 2346, clearing the way for President Obama to sign it in to law.

We are now just one pen stroke away from two major victories for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and their families.  Included in the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act are provisions that would provide up to $5000 in back pay to all of the 185,000 OIF and OEF veterans that were held beyond their enlistment dates under the stop-loss policy.  Additionally, the Congress approved a change to the Post 9/11 GI Bill that would allow the GI Bill benefits of fallen servicemembers to be transferred to their children. 

Due largely to the phone calls from of IAVA’s 135,000 members and supporters, the Senate put aside partisan bickering and showed overwhelming support for service members, veterans, and their families.  IAVA hopes that the President will quickly sign this bill in to law so that thousands of veterans and their families can receive the benefits that they deserve. 

• Click here to learn more about IAVA's recent press conference with lawmakers following House passage of the provisions.
• Want to receive real time updates about news and legislation that IAVA is tracking?  Follow us on Twitter @iavapressroom. 

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