The Senate handily approves Senator Dick Durbin's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that is designed to protect the Pentagon's medical research program.

Sen. Durbin moved against changes sought by Arizona Senator John McCain that Durbin says would lead to red tape. He says the funding for medical research is crucial with veterans suffering many life threatening or altering ailments at a much greater rate than the civillian population.

Durbin says Senator McCain’s proposal would have blocked Defense Department officials from researching the medical needs of military families and veterans and subjected doctors and scientists to the level of scrutiny currently reserved for complex weapons systems.