A U.S. Senator from Illinois wants to extend benefits for injured veterans. Caregivers of veterans can receive a stipend from the federal government if the veteran served on or after September 11, 2001.
A proposal from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin would allow caregivers to also receive the benefits if the vet served before 9/11. The Family Caregivers Program costs about 36 thousand dollars a year per veteran, but Durbin says it's worth the price.
"So it isn't just a matter of dollars and cents, it's a matter of doing the right thing. Our obligations to our vets don't end after they come home, our obligations continue."
The program is meant as a way to save money that might otherwise be spent on nursing homes.