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Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111
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Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111
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| Having difficulty seeing the images in this message? View it online. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
August 1, 2014
In This Issue: 1. Congress Clears VA Access and Accountability Bill 2. Robert McDonald Confirmed as VA Secretary 3. Congress on Recess -- Time to Speak Up for Veterans 1. Congress Clears VA Access and Accountability Bill: Before leaving town for the August recess, Congress cleared the VA Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. The House passed the bill on Wednesday (420-5) and the Senate followed late Thursday (91-3). The bill, H.R. 3230 provides $17 billion to allow veterans to seek care outside of VA if they have to wait more than 30 days to get an appointment or live 40 miles from a VA facility. It also allows VA to expand its medical professional staff and authorizes 27 lease agreements to provide needed building space to deliver more timely access to care. In addition, VFW-supported language that would grant in-state tuition to veterans attending public institutions, extend the Post-9/11 GI Bill to dependents of service members killed in action and improvement in MST care were also included as part of the bill. The bill now heads to the President for signature. We would like to thank all of our advocates who sent over 16,000 messages to congressional offices demanding quick action on the bill. Your voice made a difference and reminded Congress that they must put veterans, service members and their families first before budget wrangling or partisan politics. We also want to remind you to see how your members voted. For those who voted "no" make sure you hold them accountable when you attend Town Hall meetings and go to the ballot box in November. For the VFW's Press Release: http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2014-Articles/CONGRESS-PASSES-EMERGENCY-VA-FUNDING-BILL/ For final summary and bill text, click here: http://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom/majority-news/senate-passes-veterans-health-care-bill For the House Roll Call Vote, click here: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll467.xml For the Senate Roll Call Vote, click here: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00254 2. Robert McDonald Confirmed as VA Secretary: On Tuesday, the Senate voted (97-0) to confirm former Proctor & Gamble chief executive Robert McDonald as the new secretary of VA. John W. Stroud, national commander of the 1.9 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Auxiliaries, congratulated the new secretary on his confirmation, and thanked him for wanting to help make a difference in the lives of his fellow veterans during a time of nationwide crisis in care and confidence in his department. McDonald, a former Army captain, will fill the post Eric Shinseki left in May. 3. Congress on Recess - Time to Speak up for Veterans: Congress left DC today and will be traveling back home for the August district work period. Now is the time for VFW advocates to reach out and schedule appointments and attend Town Hall meetings to discuss critical issues facing the military and veterans' communities. Let your members know that you are prepared to hold them accountable on issues important to you and the VFW. For a list of current bills and votes visit our grassroots advocacy website at: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/bills/ Issues that will be debated in the fall include: Military quality of life programs within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Military, Construction and VA Appropriations bill. Other issues the VFW is working to enhance and expand include caregiver benefits, tuition assistance and suicide prevention programs. For a list of our current priority goals, click here: http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/2014%20Priority%20Goals%20brochure%20final%20pdf.pdf If you plan to advocate over the next five weeks on behalf of our nation's veterans, and you want to share your story, we can help spread the word through the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To submit stories for the blog, click here: https://www.vfw.org/Pages/Form.aspx?ekfrm=4294969914&LangType=1033 For the Do's and Don'ts of getting involved in political activities as a VFW member, click here:. http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/VFW%20Involvement%20in%20Elections%20and%20Political%20Activities%202014.pdf To sign up new veterans' advocates, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories either fill out our online form by clicking here, http://www.vfw.org/Forms/Capitol-Hill-Blog-Submissions/, or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. |
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Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111
Having difficulty seeing the images in this message? View it online.
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|
August 1, 2014
In This Issue: 1. Congress Clears VA Access and Accountability Bill 2. Robert McDonald Confirmed as VA Secretary 3. Congress on Recess -- Time to Speak Up for Veterans 1. Congress Clears VA Access and Accountability Bill: Before leaving town for the August recess, Congress cleared the VA Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. The House passed the bill on Wednesday (420-5) and the Senate followed late Thursday (91-3). The bill, H.R. 3230 provides $17 billion to allow veterans to seek care outside of VA if they have to wait more than 30 days to get an appointment or live 40 miles from a VA facility. It also allows VA to expand its medical professional staff and authorizes 27 lease agreements to provide needed building space to deliver more timely access to care. In addition, VFW-supported language that would grant in-state tuition to veterans attending public institutions, extend the Post-9/11 GI Bill to dependents of service members killed in action and improvement in MST care were also included as part of the bill. The bill now heads to the President for signature. We would like to thank all of our advocates who sent over 16,000 messages to congressional offices demanding quick action on the bill. Your voice made a difference and reminded Congress that they must put veterans, service members and their families first before budget wrangling or partisan politics. We also want to remind you to see how your members voted. For those who voted "no" make sure you hold them accountable when you attend Town Hall meetings and go to the ballot box in November. For the VFW's Press Release: http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2014-Articles/CONGRESS-PASSES-EMERGENCY-VA-FUNDING-BILL/ For final summary and bill text, click here: http://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom/majority-news/senate-passes-veterans-health-care-bill For the House Roll Call Vote, click here: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll467.xml For the Senate Roll Call Vote, click here: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00254 2. Robert McDonald Confirmed as VA Secretary: On Tuesday, the Senate voted (97-0) to confirm former Proctor & Gamble chief executive Robert McDonald as the new secretary of VA. John W. Stroud, national commander of the 1.9 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Auxiliaries, congratulated the new secretary on his confirmation, and thanked him for wanting to help make a difference in the lives of his fellow veterans during a time of nationwide crisis in care and confidence in his department. McDonald, a former Army captain, will fill the post Eric Shinseki left in May. 3. Congress on Recess - Time to Speak up for Veterans: Congress left DC today and will be traveling back home for the August district work period. Now is the time for VFW advocates to reach out and schedule appointments and attend Town Hall meetings to discuss critical issues facing the military and veterans' communities. Let your members know that you are prepared to hold them accountable on issues important to you and the VFW. For a list of current bills and votes visit our grassroots advocacy website at: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/bills/ Issues that will be debated in the fall include: Military quality of life programs within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Military, Construction and VA Appropriations bill. Other issues the VFW is working to enhance and expand include caregiver benefits, tuition assistance and suicide prevention programs. For a list of our current priority goals, click here: http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/2014%20Priority%20Goals%20brochure%20final%20pdf.pdf If you plan to advocate over the next five weeks on behalf of our nation's veterans, and you want to share your story, we can help spread the word through the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To submit stories for the blog, click here: https://www.vfw.org/Pages/Form.aspx?ekfrm=4294969914&LangType=1033 For the Do's and Don'ts of getting involved in political activities as a VFW member, click here:. http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/VFW%20Involvement%20in%20Elections%20and%20Political%20Activities%202014.pdf To sign up new veterans' advocates, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories either fill out our online form by clicking here, http://www.vfw.org/Forms/Capitol-Hill-Blog-Submissions/, or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. |
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