ConnPost.com: Patriotic Twist For Dodd Law?

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ConnPost.com: Patriotic Twist For Dodd Law?

PETER URBAN

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd is looking to give his signature legislative achievement — Family and Medical Leave — a patriotic boost.

Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, introduced legislation late last week that would give families up to six months of unpaid leave to care for a wounded soldier rather than the 12 weeks now provided.

"Our troops are giving their all on the battlefield," Dodd said. "The very least our government owes them is its total support for their family and medical needs."

Dodd, who is running for his party's nomination for president, didn't come up with this idea on his own. It actually came from former Sen. Bob Dole, a Republican, who harbored his own presidential ambitions back in the day.

Dole was tapped by President Bush to investigate the treatment of wounded warriors in the wake of a Washington Post expose that revealed troubling problems at Walter Reed Hospital, the Army's preeminent health-care facility.

The President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, which Dole co-chaired with Democrat Donna Shalala, issued a report last week urging Congress to extend up to six months of unpaid leave to a family member of soldiers severely injured in combat. More than 3,000 service members have been seriously injured in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. In about a third of those cases a family member or close friend has relocated for extended periods of time to be with the wounded soldier while they were in the hospital,
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according to the commission. In hundreds of cases, the family member or close friend gave up a job to be with them.

"Over the course of our investigation, the commission found that Congress should draft legislation to allow up to six months leave for family members of troops who have sustained combat related injuries," Dole said. "For over 20 years, Chris Dodd has demonstrated leadership in crafting our nation's Family Medical Leave law and I strongly support his effort to extend these benefits to our wounded troops' caregivers."

Back in the day, Dole was no fan of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

As the top Republican in the Senate, Dole spoke against mandating that large employers keep jobs open for folks who go on unpaid leave to care for a seriously ill relative. Instead, he advocated providing tax credits to employers to provide unpaid leave. Dole actually brought that up during a presidential campaign debate in 1996 when he was running against President Clinton. The Family and Medical Leave Act was the first bill that Clinton signed into law after being elected president in 1992. It had been vetoed previously by President George W. Bush.

Dodd had worked for seven years to get the bill enacted. He vowed to put in the same effort — if needed — to expand the law.

"I will not rest until we are able to modernize this statute to cover our wounded warriors," he said. "Plain and simple — the families of these brave men and women should be allowed to care for their loved ones without fear of losing their job."

Dodd probably won't face a huge struggle to extend the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover wounded warriors. What politician — Democrat or Republican — would be so callous as to object? But, having Dole — a wounded warrior himself — in favor of the bill should make this a snap.

Let's hope that Sen. Joe Lieberman will join in this bipartisan effort to give these soldiers and their families some relief. Peter Urban, who covers Washington for the Connecticut Post, can be reached by e-mail at purban@ctpost.com.

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