Legislative Priorities

[boardman]

There are more than 21 million veterans in the United States, of whom almost 66% never interact with the VA.
Many veterans and their families are unaware of the benefits and care they earned through their service to our nation. Even the 33% of veterans who interact with the VA’s healthcare system and/or its benefits administration are not familiar with much of what is available to them, to their families, and to their survivors.
VVA demands accountability for the effectiveness as well as the efficiency of each government program charged with helping veterans and their families. Learn more about VVA’s 2023 Legislative Agenda and read more about these important issues:
(1) Congressional Testimony and Staying Relevant for All Veterans
Along with a panel of other veterans’ advocacy and service organizations, VVA National President Jack McManus presented legislative priorities before the Joint Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committee.
(2) Implementation of the PACT Act
Passage of the PACT Act of 2022 was a major step toward addressing the needs of our nation’s veterans, we must continue to fight forward in our effort to right the harms caused by toxic exposure at home and abroad.
(3) The Toxic Exposure Research Act
This law laid the groundwork for research to determine if there is any link between a veteran’s exposure and reported medical maladies in their progeny.
(4) Congressional GAO Study Addressing Burn Pits in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War
VVA calls for an investigation on the likelihood that daily exposure to burn pits and burn-barrel latrines during the Vietnam War may be causing severe, chronic conditions adversely affecting Vietnam veterans’ health and wellness today.
(5) Veteran Suicide
VVA has long been at the forefront of understanding and preventing the scourge of suicide among our nation’s veterans. While progress has been made in addressing this crisis, much more must be done.
(6) Age-Friendly, Veteran-Centric Healthcare
A lack of personal savings for long-term care and a sometimes-fragmented Veteran Health Administration (VHA) pose significant risk to the health and wellness of aging veterans.
(7) Amendment of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
The original Act only covers veterans who served on vessels out to twelve nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line. This excludes veterans who served further beyond this arbitrary boundary, yet were also potentially exposed to Agent Orange.
(8) Support Combat-Injured Veterans by Passing the Major Richard Star Act
Combat-injured veterans forced into early retirement by their injury are not receiving their vested longevity pay. Reducing retirement pay because of a disability is an injustice. This Act will correct this injustice.
(9) Rural Veterans Access To Veteran-Centric Healthcare
Many veterans are unaware of the benefits, services, and facilities available to them through VA, and it may be even more difficult for rural veterans and their caregivers to access healthcare and other services, due to rural delivery challenges.
(10) VVA Supports the Korean American VALOR Act
There are approximately 3,000 Korean American Vietnam War veterans who are now naturalized citizens, living in the United States. Unlike our allies in World Wars, I and II, these veterans were not afforded access to VA healthcare.
VVA is the only national Vietnam Veterans organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and their families. We stand by our motto: Never Again Will One Generation of Veterans Abandon Another.
Jack McManus
VVA National President