Green Beret SFC Richard Stayskal called it a “Christmas Miracle.” 

The Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act with an 86-8 vote on Tuesday. However, inside the bill is a provision, initiated by Stayskal, which will allow service members who have been victims of negligent medical care to finally be allowed to hold the government accountable. 

The provision sets aside for the first time $400 million for the DOD to investigate and compensate military medical malpractice claims. Service members, such as Stayskal have been denied the ability to hold doctors accountable until now.

But military members will still not be allowed to sue the Federal Government for damages, even though they’ll be allowed to seek damages and have medical malpractice claims investigated.