Murphy, colleagues want health benefits for at-risk combat veterans

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy Photo: / Brian A. Pounds Photo: / Brian A. Pounds Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Murphy, colleagues want health benefits for at-risk combat veterans 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and two colleagues want the government to provide mental health services for thousands of combat veterans who are released with less than honorable discharges.

Murphy and fellow Democratic Sens. Jon Tester and Michael Bennet introduced legislation this week that would require the Veterans Affairs department to provide services to combat veterans with mental health and behavioral health diagnoses who are released with Other-Than-Honorable discharges, according to a release.

The legislation is needed because the VA has denied it has legal authority to provide care for these veterans, the release said.

“Both the Department of Defense and the VA have mistreated returning service members suffering from mental health disorders occurring as a result of their service to our country,” Murphy said in a prepared statement. “This bill will make sure that if you fight for the United States, your country will take care of you when you get home.”

A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives, the release said.

“These veterans have risked their lives for our country,” Murphy said. “They shouldn’t be cut off from getting the care and treatment they deserve.”