To make the traumatic injury insurance provision retroactive for servicemembers injured in Iraq.

SA 551. Mr. DeWINE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 439 submitted by Mr. Craig (for himself and Mr. Akaka) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 1268, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, to establish and

rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 10, line 3, strike “(c)” and insert the following:

(c) Retroactive Provision.--

(1) In general.--Any member who experienced a traumatic injury (as described in section 1980A(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code) between October 7, 2001, and the effective date under subsection (d), is eligible for coverage provided in such section 1980A if the qualifying loss was a direct result of injuries incurred in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(2) Certification; payment.--The Secretary of Defense shall--

(A) certify to the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance the names and addresses of those members the Secretary of Defense determines to be eligible for retroactive traumatic injury benefits under such section 1980A; and

(B) forward to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, at the time the certification is made under subparagraph (A), an amount of money equal to the amount the Secretary of Defense determines to be necessary to pay all cost related to claims for retroactive benefits under such section 1980A.

(d)