U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's veteran ID bill passes Senate with slight change

An ID card would replace piece of paper veterans use for identificaton

The legislation by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, to allow veterans to receive an identification card passed the U.S. Senate unanimously with a minor change.

The Senate made a slight change to the bill that passed the House of Representatives 402 to 0 in May, allowing all veterans to qualify for the small ID card, rather than only veterans who previously did not qualify.

The legislation will be handed back to the House for a vote with the change, and if it passes again will go to President Barack Obama's desk. Buchanan said he expects the legislation will get swift approval from the House.

Currently, veterans who serve less than 20 years and do not suffer from a disability have to use a DD-214, which is a piece of paper, to identify themselves as veterans. Many complain that a piece of paper is too fragile to carry around and that it contains too much personal information, such as a veteran's Social Security number.

"A simple, standardized ID card will make life easier for our veterans and serve as a reminder that our brave service men and women deserve all the respect a grateful nation can offer," Buchanan said in a statement.

This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's veteran ID bill passes Senate with slight change ."