All blog posts related to the issue: Veterans

  • Wyden Amendment to NDAA Forces Pentagon to Disclose Contractor Indemnification Agreements

    by Communications Office

    On December 4, 2012 the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012. Included in the NDAA is an amendment written by Wyden which requires the Pentagon to disclose and justify to Congress any contracts that contain indemnification clauses that hold military contractors harmless of acts of negligence.

    Last month, a jury ordered defense contractor Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) to pay $85 million in damages to troops negligently exposed to toxic levels of sodium dichromate in Iraq. Under a previously-classified indemnity clause in their contract KBR was allowed to sue the Federal government to recoup those damages and pay their court costs. Wyden’s amendment ensures that Congress is not left in the dark about clauses that leave the taxpayer holding the bill for a contractor’s wrongdoing. 

    “What KBR received -- and Oregon soldiers and the American taxpayers may be stuck paying for -- is a get out of jail free card that no one outside of the Pentagon had any say in giving them,” Wyden said. 

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  • Have you been targeted by a Pension Poacher? Tell us your Aid and Attendance story.

    by Legislative Team

    As a life-long advocate for seniors, and a passionate supporter of veterans, veteran’s rights, and veteran’s programs, there are few things that upset Senator Wyden more than individuals and groups who use the promise of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to mislead and even steal from America’s elderly veterans.

    Recently, he has been looking into the VA’s enhanced pension with Aid and Attendance, commonly referred to as “Aid and Attendance.”  While this program meets real needs of financially burdened vets who need help in their daily lives, Senator Wyden is deeply troubled by the emergence of predatory organizations that are providing false, misleading, or incomplete information to veterans.  Many of these companies have names and logos that seem to affiliate them with the VA and claim to want to help veterans, but in many cases are only interested in lining their own pockets.

    Our office is gathering information on these deplorable practices, but we need your help.  Have you, a friend, or family member had an experience regarding Aid and Attendance?  In the comments section below, please tell us your story.  Senator Wyden may share some of these experiences in the Senate.

    Share Your Story

    Have you been targeted by a Pension Poacher? Tell us your Aid and Attendance story.

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