I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1268 
To ensure dignity in care for members of the Armed Forces recovering 
from injuries. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 1, 2007 
Mr. MITCHELL (for himself, Mr. EMANUEL, Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas, Mr. DON-
NELLY, Mr. WELCH of Vermont, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. 
VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Mr. KAGEN, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. 
SHULER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. YARMUTH, and Ms. HOOLEY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To ensure dignity in care for members of the Armed Forces 
recovering from injuries. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dignity for Wounded 
Warriors Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. ACCESS OF RECOVERING SERVICEMEMBERS TO 
ADEQUATE OUTPATIENT RESIDENTIAL FA-
CILITIES. 
(a) SUFFICIENCY OF RESIDENCES.— 
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(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—Each 
recovering 
servicemember who is assigned to a military bar-
racks or dormitory shall be assigned to a barracks 
or dormitory that is maintained at a standard equal 
to the highest existing service standard in effect for 
quarters of the United States for enlisted members 
of the Armed Forces. 
(2) INAPPLICABILITY
TO
CERTAIN
FACILI-
TIES.—Facilities 
occupied 
by 
recovering 
servicemembers that are not funded with appro-
priated funds are not subject to the requirement 
under paragraph (1). 
(b) INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS OF FACILITIES.— 
(1) REQUIRED INSPECTIONS.—All quarters of 
the United States and housing facilities under the 
jurisdiction of the Armed Forces that are occupied 
by at least 5 recovering servicemembers shall be in-
spected on a semiannual basis by the inspectors gen-
eral of the regional medical commands. 
(2) INSPECTOR
GENERAL
REPORTS.—The in-
spector general for each regional medical command 
shall— 
(A) submit a report on each inspection of 
a facility conducted under paragraph (1) to the 
post commander at such facility, the com-
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manding officer of the hospital affiliated with 
such facility, the surgeon general of the military 
department that operates such hospital, the 
Secretary of the military department concerned, 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs, the Oversight Board for the Wounded 
established pursuant to section 10, and the ap-
propriate congressional committees; and 
(B) post each such report on the Internet 
website of such regional medical command. 
(3) ALTERNATE HOUSING.— 
(A) UNREMEDIED DEFICIENCIES.—If a de-
ficiency identified in a report submitted under 
paragraph (2) with respect to quarters or a fa-
cility is not remedied within 30 days after the 
submittal of such report under that paragraph, 
each recovering servicemember occupying such 
quarters or facility and affected by the defi-
ciency shall be provided the option of alternate 
quarters of the United States or housing facili-
ties under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces 
that meet the standard referred to in subsection 
(a)(1) until the deficiency is remedied. 
(B) UNFULFILLED WORK ORDERS.—If a 
work order issued to remedy a deficiency (in-
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cluding, but not limited to, deficiencies such as 
mold, leaking pipes, or rat, mouse, insect, or 
other pest infestation) in a room occupied by a 
recovering servicemember in quarters of the 
United States or a housing facility under the 
jurisdiction of the Armed Forces remains 
unfulfilled for more than 15 days after the date 
of the issuance of the work order, the 
servicemember shall be provided the option of 
alternate quarters of the United States or hous-
ing facilities under the jurisdiction of the 
Armed Forces that meet the standard referred 
to in subsection (a)(1) until the work order is 
fulfilled and the deficiency is remedied. 
(c) ZERO
TOLERANCE
FOR
CHRONIC
INFESTA-
TIONS.—If quarters of the United States or a housing fa-
cility under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces that is 
occupied by a recovering servicemember is determined, 
whether pursuant to an inspection required by subsection 
(b)(1) or otherwise, to have a chronic infestation of ro-
dents, insects, or other pests, the servicemember shall be 
provided the option of alternate quarters of the United 
States or housing facilities under the jurisdiction of the 
Armed Forces that meet the standard referred to in sub-
section (a)(1) until the deficiency is remedied. 
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SEC. 3. REDUCTION OF PAPERWORK AND BUREAUCRACY 
FOR RECOVERING SERVICEMEMBERS AND 
THEIR FAMILIES. 
(a) IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSICAL DISABILITY EVAL-
UATION SYSTEMS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall implement appropriate improvements of the physical 
disability evaluation systems of the military departments, 
including the administrative and budgetary restructuring 
of such systems, in order to ensure their efficient and ef-
fective operation. The improvements shall include the re-
quirement that, within each military department, a single 
command shall be responsible for the physical disability 
evaluation system of such military department, including 
any processing and military boards under such system. 
(b) ELECTRONIC CLEARING HOUSE.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—In improving the physical 
disability evaluation system of a military department 
pursuant to this section, the Secretary of the mili-
tary department shall establish and operate a single 
Internet site for the physical disability evaluation 
process under such system that enables recovering 
servicemembers to fully utilize such system through 
the Internet. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each Internet site operated 
under this subsection shall include the following: 
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(A) The availability of any forms required 
for the utilization of the applicable physical dis-
ability 
evaluation 
system 
by 
recovering 
servicemembers. 
(B) Secure mechanisms for the submittal 
of such forms by recovering servicemembers, 
and for the tracking of the acceptance and re-
view of any forms so submitted. 
(C) Secure mechanisms for advising recov-
ering servicemembers of any additional informa-
tion, forms, or other items that are required for 
the acceptance and review of any forms so sub-
mitted. 
(D) The continuous availability of assist-
ance to recovering servicemembers (including 
assistance through the caseworkers assigned to 
recovering servicemembers) in submitting and 
tracking such forms, including assistance in ob-
taining information, forms, or other items de-
scribed by subparagraph (C). 
(E) Secure mechanisms to request and re-
ceive personnel files or other personnel records 
of recovering servicemembers that are required 
for submittal under the applicable physical dis-
ability evaluation system, including the capa-
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bility to track requests for such files or records 
and to determine the status of such requests 
and of responses to such requests. 
(3) DEADLINE
FOR
ESTABLISHMENT.—Each 
Internet site required under this subsection shall be 
established not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
(c) CO-LOCATION OF SYSTEM ELEMENTS AT CER-
TAIN FACILITIES.—In improving physical disability eval-
uation systems pursuant to this section, the Secretary of 
Defense shall— 
(1) identify each military medical treatment fa-
cility covered by such system that serves, or is an-
ticipated to serve, more than 100 recovering 
servicemembers simultaneously; and 
(2) to the extent practicable, co-locate all ele-
ments of such system at a single location at each 
such facility. 
(d) REPORT ON IMPROVEMENTS.— 
(1) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a report setting forth rec-
ommendations for the improvements required by 
subsection (a). 
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(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The recommenda-
tions under paragraph (1) shall include rec-
ommendations for the following: 
(A) 
Procedures 
to 
enable 
recovering 
servicemembers to interface with only one com-
mand while undergoing evaluation and care 
under a physical disability evaluation system. 
(B) Procedures to allow clinical teams and 
the military chain of command to bypass sig-
nificant parts of the applicable physical dis-
ability evaluation system in order to facilitate 
the prompt processing of cases under such sys-
tem for specific injuries and illnesses. 
(C) Specifications of the job requirements 
for every military occupational specialty (MOS) 
and grade. 
(D) 
Means 
for 
retraining 
recovering 
servicemembers who are determined to be unfit 
for their assigned military occupational spe-
cialty for qualification for assignment to an-
other military occupational specialty. 
(E) Streamlining and reducing duplicative, 
unnecessary procedures and other obstacles to 
timely evaluations and decisions under a phys-
ical disability evaluation system. 
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(F) Such other matters with respect to the 
improvements required by subsection (a) as the 
Secretary and the Oversight Board for the 
Wounded consider appropriate. 
(3) NO REDUCTION IN PERSONNEL AND RE-
SOURCES.—The requirements of this subsection may 
not be construed to authorize or require the reduc-
tion of staff, or the closure of facilities, in order to 
achieve any improvements recommended under para-
graph (1). 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall commence the implementation of the recommenda-
tions submitted under subsection (d) not later than 90 
days after the submittal of the recommendations under 
that subsection. 
(f) RETENTION OF CERTAIN RIGHTS OF APPEAL.— 
Nothing in the recommendations submitted and imple-
mented under this section shall be construed to limit the 
ability of a recovering servicemember to appeal the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The right of the recovering servicemember 
to remain a member of the Armed Forces. 
(2) Any disability rating assigned the recov-
ering servicemember. 
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(g) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretaries of the military departments shall consult 
with and seek advice from the Oversight Board for the 
Wounded established pursuant to section 10 in carrying 
out this section. 
SEC. 4. SUPERVISING OFFICER AND CASEWORKER SUP-
PORT FOR RECOVERING SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) PROVISION OF ADEQUATE SUPPORT.—Not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall work with officials from 
each military medical treatment facility— 
(1) to assess whether the current ratio of super-
vising 
officers 
assigned 
to 
recovering 
servicemembers, and the current ratio of case-
workers assigned to recovering servicemembers, at 
such facility is adequate to meet the needs of recov-
ering servicemembers at such facility; and 
(2) to establish targets for such facility to in-
crease such ratios where necessary, taking into ac-
count the needs of recovering servicemembers at 
such facility. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR ACHIEVING TARGETS.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that the targets established pursuant 
to subsection (a)(2) are achieved not later than December 
31, 2008, and maintained during each year thereafter. 
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(c) ANNUAL REVIEW OF TARGETS.—The Secretary 
shall annually reevaluate the targets established pursuant 
to subsection (a)(2), and shall monitor progress made in 
meeting such targets. 
(d) EMPLOYMENT
OF ADDITIONAL STAFF.—Not 
later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall hire such additional qualified staff 
as is necessary to achieve at each military medical treat-
ment facility an interim ratio of one supervising officer, 
and 
one 
caseworker, 
for 
every 
recovering 
servicemembers. Such ratios shall remain in effect until 
superseded under subsection (a)(2). 
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) REPORT
REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter throughout the global war on 
terror, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on current and 
target ratios of supervising officers and caseworkers 
to recovering servicemembers at military medical 
treatment facilities under this section. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report under paragraph 
(1) shall set forth the staff required to meet the tar-
gets established under subsection (a)(2), and include 
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an estimate of the costs required to implement such 
plan. 
(f) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult 
with and seek advice from the Oversight Board for the 
Wounded established pursuant to section 10 in carrying 
out this section. 
SEC. 5. IMPROVED TRAINING FOR CASEWORKERS AND SO-
CIAL WORKERS ON PARTICULAR CONDITIONS 
OF RECOVERING SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report setting forth recommendations for the 
modification of the training provided to caseworkers and 
social 
workers 
who 
provide 
care 
for 
recovering 
servicemembers. The recommendations shall include, at a 
minimum, specific recommendations to ensure that such 
caseworkers and social workers are able to— 
(1) detect early warning signs of post-traumatic 
stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal tendencies 
among recovering servicemembers; and 
(2) promptly devise appropriate treatment plans 
as such signs are detected. 
(b) ANNUAL REVIEW OF TRAINING.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
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annually thereafter throughout the global war on terror, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a report on the following: 
(1) The progress made in providing the training 
recommended under subsection (a). 
(2) The general state and quality of training 
provided to caseworkers and social workers who pro-
vide care for recovering servicemembers. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult 
with and seek advice from the Oversight Board for the 
Wounded established pursuant to section 10 in carrying 
out this section. 
SEC. 6. SUPPORT SERVICES AND RIGHTS FOR RECOVERING 
SERVICEMEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. 
(a) AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE FOR RECOVERING 
SERVICEMEMBERS.— 
(1) NOTICE
OF
RIGHTS
AND
RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—The Secretary of Defense shall clearly post, 
or provide for the posting, in all military medical 
treatment facilities, outpatient residences, and other 
hospital and residential care locations frequently uti-
lized or visited by recovering servicemembers and 
their family members a notice of the rights and re-
sponsibilities of recovering servicemembers with re-
spect to accessing quality and timely medical care 
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and casework services and assistance during evalua-
tion and care under a physical disability evaluation 
system. 
(2) AVAILABILITY
OF
QUALIFIED
PROFES-
SIONALS
AT
OUTPATIENT
RESIDENTIAL
FACILI-
TIES.—Each military outpatient residential facility 
at which at least 20 recovering servicemembers re-
side shall be staffed at all times with each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) At least one medical professional with 
the minimum qualifications of an emergency 
medical technician to provide care and services 
for recovering servicemembers at such facility. 
(B) At least one clinical professional with 
the minimum qualifications of a certified clin-
ical social worker or certified crisis counselor to 
provide 
care 
and 
services 
for 
recovering 
servicemembers at such facility. 
(b) ASSISTANCE HOTLINES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retaries of the military departments shall each estab-
lish and maintain for the military department con-
cerned the following toll-free telephone assistance 
hotlines: 
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(A) A hotline for crisis counseling for re-
covering servicemembers and their family mem-
bers. 
(B) 
A 
hotline 
for 
recovering 
servicemembers and their family members (to 
be known as the ‘‘Wounded Servicemember 
Rights and Family Respite Hotline’’) that— 
(i) facilitates the reporting of delays 
and provides casework advocacy; 
(ii) provides casework advice; 
(iii) provides referrals to family and 
veteran support groups; and 
(iv) facilitates the reporting of sub-
standard conditions, casework services, or 
assistance during evaluation and care 
under a physical disability evaluation sys-
tem. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—The hotlines required by 
paragraph (1) shall operate at all times. 
(3) BILINGUAL ASSISTANCE.—The hotlines re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall be staffed at all times 
with operators fluent in English and Spanish. 
(c) 
OMBUDSMEN
FOR
RECOVERING 
SERVICEMEMBERS.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish within each regional medical com-
mand of the Armed Forces the position of Ombuds-
man for Recovering Servicemembers (in this sub-
section referred to as the ‘‘Ombudsman’’ or ‘‘Om-
budsmen’’). 
(2) ASSIGNMENT.—The Secretary shall assign 
to each position established under paragraph (1) a 
member of the Armed Forces or civilian employee of 
the Department of Defense who is qualified to dis-
charge the duties of the position. 
(3) DUTIES.—Each Ombudsman shall act as a 
liaison for recovering servicemembers and their fam-
ily members with respect to the evaluation and care 
of recovering servicemembers under the physical dis-
ability evaluation systems. 
(4) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall make 
available to each recovering servicemember, and to 
the 
family 
members 
of 
all 
recovering 
servicemembers, information on contacting and uti-
lizing the services of the Ombudsmen. 
(d) MECHANISMS
FOR OBTAINING FEEDBACK
ON 
OUTPATIENT CARE.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish the following mechanisms for obtaining feedback 
from recovering servicemembers and their family members 
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on the quality of outpatient care available to recovering 
servicemembers through the Department of Defense: 
(1) An anonymous feedback system that is 
available to recovering servicemembers and their 
family members in all military medical treatment fa-
cilities and all military outpatient residential facili-
ties housing at least 5 recovering servicemembers 
and through the Internet. 
(2) Convocations, town hall meetings, or other 
forums held at military medical treatment facilities 
at least once per month. 
(e) OUTPATIENT CARE MANUAL.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall publish and make available to all recovering 
servicemembers a single manual, in either English or 
Spanish, to guide them and their family members through-
out the applicable physical disability evaluation system. 
The manual shall list all relevant locations and points of 
contact and shall include information on retrieving docu-
mentation required for medical processing. 
(f) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretaries of the military departments shall consult 
with and seek advice from the Oversight Board for the 
Wounded established pursuant to section 10 in carrying 
out this section. 
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SEC. 7. SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILIES OF RECOV-
ERING SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) MEDICAL CARE.—A family member of a recov-
ering servicemember who is not otherwise eligible for med-
ical care at a military medical treatment facility shall be 
eligible for such care if the family member is— 
(1) on invitational orders while caring for the 
recovering servicemember; 
(2) a non-medical attendee caring for the recov-
ering servicemember; or 
(3) receiving per diem payments from the De-
partment of Defense while caring for the recovering 
servicemember. 
(b) JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES.—A family member 
who is on invitational orders or is a non-medical attendee 
while caring for a recovering servicemember for more than 
45 days during a one-year period shall be eligible for job 
placement services otherwise offered by the Department 
of Defense. 
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOY-
MENT AGAINST CERTAIN FAMILY MEMBERS 
CARING 
FOR 
RECOVERING 
SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—A family member of a recovering 
servicemember described in subsection (b) shall not be de-
nied retention in employment, promotion, or any benefit 
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of employment by an employer on the basis of the person’s 
absence from employment as described in that subsection. 
(b) COVERED FAMILY MEMBERS.—A family member 
described in this subsection is a family member of a recov-
ering servicemember who is— 
(1) on invitational orders while caring for the 
recovering servicemember; 
(2) a non-medical attendee caring for the recov-
ering servicemember; or 
(3) receiving per diem payments from the De-
partment of Defense while caring for the recovering 
servicemember. 
(c) TREATMENT OF ACTIONS.—An employer shall be 
considered to have engaged in an action prohibited by sub-
section (a) with respect to a person described in that sub-
section if the absence from employment of the person as 
described in that subsection is a motivating factor in the 
employer’s action, unless the employer can prove that the 
action would have been taken in the absence of the absence 
of employment of the person. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘ben-
efit of employment’’ and ‘‘employer’’ have the meaning 
given such terms in section 4303 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
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SEC. 
9. 
MEAL 
BENEFITS 
FOR 
RECOVERING 
SERVICEMEMBERS. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON CHARGES FOR MEALS.—A re-
covering servicemember who is undergoing medical treat-
ment, recuperation, or therapy, or is otherwise in medical 
hold or holdover status, in a military medical treatment 
facility for an injury, illness, or disease incurred or aggra-
vated while on active duty in the Armed Forces shall not 
be required to pay any charge for meals provided such 
member by the military medical treatment facility. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The limitation in subsection 
(a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act, and shall apply with respect to meals provided mem-
bers of the Armed Forces as described in that subsection 
on or after that date. 
SEC. 10. OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR THE WOUNDED. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established a 
board to be known as the Oversight Board for the Wound-
ed (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Oversight Board’’). 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The Oversight Board shall be 
composed of 12 members, of whom— 
(1) two shall be appointed by the majority lead-
er of the Senate; 
(2) two shall be appointed by the minority lead-
er of the Senate; 
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(3) two shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives; 
(4) two shall be appointed by the minority lead-
er of the House of Representatives; 
(5) two shall be appointed by the President; 
and 
(6) two shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
Defense. 
(c) QUALIFICATIONS.— 
(1) PARTICULAR QUALIFICATIONS.—The Over-
sight Board shall include members with the fol-
lowing qualifications: 
(A) One member shall be a veteran who 
served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Op-
eration Iraqi Freedom. 
(B) Two members shall have received 
treatment for injuries at a military medical 
treatment facility since September 11, 2001. 
(C) One member shall be a former non- 
medical 
attendant 
for 
a 
recovering 
servicemember, such as a person who received 
and accepted invitational orders to care for a 
recovering servicemember. 
(D) One member shall be a veteran who 
received treatment at a military medical treat-
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