VFW Action Corps Weekly
VFW to Testify Before House Full Committee: On Wednesday, May 20, VFW National Legislative Service Director Kristina Keenan will testify before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on pending legislation focused on reauthorizing key VA programs and authorities. The hearing will examine the proposals’ impact on VA operations, oversight and continuity of services veterans rely on nationwide. Keenan will deliver the VFW’s positions and advocate for policies that strengthen VA’s ability to fulfill its mission to veterans, service members, families and survivors. Watch the hearing.
Pleas to Pass Major Richard Star Act Heard in Missouri: Veteran Zach Micklon shared his story with KY3 News Springfield, Mo., to highlight the importance of passing the VFW-supported Major Richard Star Act. Micklon is an Army combat veteran who survived a sniper attack in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom but was medically retired after suffering catastrophic injuries. Under current law, combat-injured veterans with fewer than 20 years of service must forfeit a portion of their military retirement pay in order to receive VA disability compensation. The Major Richard Star Act would correct this inequity for more than 50,000 combat-injured veterans. In an interview for the newscast, VFW National Legislative Service Associate Director Gabby Kubinyi emphasized the bill’s broad bipartisan support, noting it currently has 326 House and 79 Senate cosponsors. “This has wide bipartisan support, which is exactly what it should have,” said Kubinyi. Watch the story.
VFW Speaks on Suicide Prevention Legislation: VFW National Legislative Service Director Kristina Keenan spoke on a panel at a legislative forum hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. One of the bills its members are promoting on Capitol Hill is VFW-supported H.R.2878, Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act. This legislation would provide information on mental health risk factors and available VA resources for service members as they transition to civilian life. The VFW supported this bill in a statement for the record for a House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity hearing in January. Read the testimony.
VFW Podcast Debriefs Asia Troop Visits: VFW National Legislative Service Associate Director Joy Craig joins co-hosts and Washington Office leaders to expand on her recent mission to Asia with VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. Throughout their travels, they met with troops stationed in South Korea and Japan where they learned about the growing needs of service members and families as U.S. forces expand their presence in the theater. Additional topics included VFW’s ongoing diplomatic engagements with Taiwan, a recent development with the Major Richard Star Act, and VFW’s Day of Service. Listen to episode 64, "Over There! Recapping the Far East Outreach Mission,” on your favorite podcast platform or watch it on YouTube.