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Senate OKs Soldier Travel Reimbursement
http://www.military.com/NewsContent?file=FL_travel_100303
WASHINGTON - The Senate passed legislation Thursday to pay the full travel expenses of soldiers on temporary leave.
The amendment would amend current Defense Department policy, which is to pay the soldiers' travel costs to a designated spot in Europe or the United States, but leave it up to soldiers to make their way home from there.
For instance, the government paid for flights last month to Germany and Baltimore for the first wave of U.S. soliders sent on a two-week home leave from Iraq. Troops had to cover their own expense the rest of the way, whether they were continuing on to their hometowns or other destinations.
"This amendment is an important victory for our troops," said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., who sponsored the legislation with fellow Minnesota Sen. Mark Dayton, a Democrat. "Our nation owes it to the brave servicemen and women overseas to bring them home during times of leave. "
The amendment, if passed by the House and signed into law, would cost just under $100 million. The two senators say it would come out of President Bush's $87 billion Iraq-Afghanistan bill.
"In a time when our troops are living in extremely difficult conditions and serving much longer terms of service than originally thought, the least we can do is pay for their ticket home to see their loved ones," Dayton said.
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