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Reid to compromise on vets’ pay

Monday, March 31, 2003 | 9:22 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is willing to compromise -- for now -- with the President Bush over a veterans benefits issue.

Reid has been fighting to change the federal law that requires disabled veterans to waive the amount of their retirement pay equal to the amount they receive in disability.

But White House officials and some lawmakers in Congress have balked at the cost of such a change. So Reid has introduced a bill that aims to phase in the change. The legislation would allow "concurrent receipt" for veterans considered at least 60 percent disabled from any type of service-related injury. The change would cost roughly $12.7 billion over 10 years. About 90,000 veterans would qualify, Reid aides estimated.

"I wish we could do more, but I am quite certain full concurrent receipt would face a veto by the President," Reid said. "I am going to fight to get 60 percent and higher this year, and then redouble my efforts in the months to come to once and for all end this unfair treatment of our retired military men and women."

Congress and President Bush had agreed to an even narrower compromise last year that allowed concurrent receipt for veterans who were at least 60 percent disabled as a result of combat injury, or who had been awarded a Purple Heart.

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