National Legislative Division Weekly
January 12, 2024
GRASSROOTS ACTION UPDATES
The American Legion is urging Congress to include vital language in the Defense Supplemental to
support our Afghan allies. To support the Legion’s efforts and protect the brave men and women who
fought by our sides, please click here.
Last session, three critical bills began picking up speed in the House of Representatives: The Elizabeth
Dole Home Care Act of 2023 (H.R. 542), the HOME Act of 2023 (H.R. 3848), and the COPE Act (H.R.
3581) bill. If the Senate agrees to pass this Legion-backed legislation, Congress has an opportunity to
provide indispensable support for our Nation’s veterans and their family caregivers. If you would like to
contact your representatives in support of H.R. 542, H.R. 3848, and H.R. 3581, you can visit our
grassroots actions center to identify and email your elected official.
The American Legion supports the Pay our Troops Act and encourages all Legionnaires to contact
their members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation. Click here to reach out today.
LEGISLATIVE WINS FOR THE LEGION IN 2023
The 118th Congress was challenged by an
onslaught of unprecedented challenges in 2023.
While these obstacles were certainly a hindrance
to House and Senate’s productivity, many
lawmakers worked hard to pass legislation for
veterans in spite of the chaos.
While The American Legion hopes to see more of
our priorities passed during the second session of
this Congress, we are extremely grateful that many
of our priorities were included in the NDAA and
two stand-alone bills were signed into law by
President Biden. With support from the Legion, S.
777 and S. 30 became public law this summer less
than 6 weeks apart.
The bills, both of which were introduced by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), take critical steps to ensure the
financial and physical wellbeing of our nation’s veterans. S. 777, also known as the Veteran’s COLA Act
of 2023, requires the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) to increase wartime disability compensation,
clothing allowances for disabled veterans, and certain compensation for dependents and surviving spouses
and children. The amounts payable must increase in conjunction with the cost-of-living increases. As law,
this will directly improve the quality of life for veterans and military families across the country.
S. 30, the Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act, reached the
President’s desk about a month after the Veteran’s COLA Act of 2023. S. 30 approves the construction of
National Legislative Division Weekly
January 12, 2024
several VA hospitals and medical facilities and provides the budget to do so. According to the Senate
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC), the aim of this bill is to improve upon the “historic
infrastructure investments” that came with the PACT Act.
The second session of the 118th Congress will commence in the coming week, and there are at least 12
bills with Legion support that have passed one chamber. 10 bills have passed the House and are waiting
their turn in the Senate, and 2 have passed the Senate and must be approved in the House. S. 316 aims to
repeal the authorizations for use of military force (AUMFs) in Iraq, a long-standing priority for The
American Legion. On the other hand, S. 656 would establish commercial driver educational programs
through VA if it were to pass the House as well.
Of the bills that have passed the House, 2 provide support for caregivers, 4 strengthen education and
employment benefits, 2 focus on disability compensation and benefits, 1 ensuring that veterans have equal
access to the second amendment, and 1 improving housing allowances and aid for homeless veterans.
CONGRESS NEGOTIATING BUDGET AS DEADLINE
LOOMS
After narrowly avoiding government shutdown in the fall of 2023, Congress passed a novel and slightly
controversial short-term funding measure.
This solution is known as the “laddered” continuing resolution (CR). Rather than extending 2023-level
spending through one set date for government programs, as a traditional CR would, the laddered approach
provided 2 separate expiration dates for 2023-level spending to provide Congress with more negotiation
time for certain programs. The deadlines are January 19, 2024 and February 2, 2024. The latter deadline
applies to Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education, Homeland Security, and a few other bills.
On the other hand, the quickly approaching
January 19th deadline provides for Transportation-
HUD, Agriculture, Energy-Water, and finally,
Military Construction-VA (MilCon-VA)
appropriations. The House and Senate have
reached a deal on a $1.59 billion topline for
spending, but the details of how this money will be
spent is still up in the air.
The original Senate version of Milcon-VA
appropriations includes $19 billion for military
construction projects and $134.7 billion in
discretionary funds for VA. On the other hand, the
House budget provides $17.4 billion for military construction and fully fundsthe VA by providing $137.755
billion.
National Legislative Division Weekly
January 12, 2024
In the next few weeks, the House and the Senate will attempt to pass all 12 annual spendings, either as
individual bills or as packages. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), pictured above, pleaded with her fellow
congressmen saying, “We have to come together, do the hard work of governing, and hammer out bipartisan
spending bills that actually reflect what we think our nation needs.”
If Congress is unable to pass all of the spending bills or a combination of them, they will either be forced
to pass another CR or to shut down the unfunded parts of the government. Even if MilCon-VA is not passed,
VA will continue to operate medical centers, process VA benefits and applications for headstones and burial
benefits, and make decision at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. However, these operations will adhere to
2023 appropriations levels. Moreover, without congressional authorization, Department of Defense
construction and maintenance projects could become inactive without the proper funding.
Although some lawmakers remain skeptical that Congress will successfully meet these deadlines, leaders
in both chambers and parties seem to agree that a compromise on the top line needs to be made as soon as
possible.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
K. Robert Lewis, Department of Connecticut
Congratulations to the first Legionnaire of the week for 2024, Mr. Robert K. Lewis of the Department of
Connecticut!
Mr. Lewis has been selected to join Congressman Joe Courtney’s (D-CT-2) Veterans’ Advisory
Roundtable. As part of this role, Mr. Lewis met with Congressman Courtney’s staff this week to discuss
predatory actors and the increase in claims that has occurred since the PACT Act’s passage. Finally, Mr.
Lewis brought up the approaching funding deadlines and how his home state would be affected during a
shutdown.
Mr. Lewis, thank you for helping us start strong for 2024. Your advocacy and participation is crucial to a
successful session.
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
National Legislative Division Weekly
January 12, 2024
LEGISLATIVE DIVISION UPDATES
This week, Legislative Division (LegDiv) staff returned to the office on Wednesday, focusing heavily on
Washington Conference. LegDiv staff began inviting members of Congress and speakers for the event,
and detailing the run-of-show for the Commander’s Call.
LegDiv staff also completed a variety of quote requests for congressional press releases this week.
Finally, LegDiv staff worked with other divisions to finalize priorities for the second session of the 118th
Congress.
As part of our ongoing grassroots efforts, NLD staff will be traveling to posts around the country to provide
grassroots training tailored to the hosting department’s needs. If you are interested in hosting a grassroots
training event, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
UPCOMING CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS
On January 17
th at 2:00 p.m. ET, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and
Investigations will hold a hearing titled, “VA Revolving Funds: Are Veterans Being Shortchanged?” This
hearing can be watched here.
National Legislative Division Weekly
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 15, 2023
GRASSROOTS ACTION UPDATES
Recently, three critical bills began picking up speed in the House of Representatives: The Elizabeth Dole
Home Care Act of 2023 (H.R. 542), the HOME Act of 2023 (H.R. 3848), and the COPE Act (H.R. 3581)
bill. If the Senate agrees to pass this Legion-backed legislation, Congress has an opportunity to provide
indispensable support for Nation’s our veterans and their family caregivers. If you would like to contact
your representatives in support of H.R. 542, H.R. 3848, and H.R. 3581, you can visit our grassroots
actions center to identify and email your elected official. To see next week’s full schedule in the House,
you can click here.
We continue to advocate for the Pay Our Troops Act (H.R. 5641), which currently has 113 bipartisan
cosponsors. With the government only narrowly avoiding shutdown twice for fiscal year 2024, it is
critical that we ensure our troops have peace of mind and timely pay regardless of when appropriations
bills are finalized.
Additionally, we are giving our support to the Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act (S. 2999), which would
ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are paid
in the event of a government shutdown.
The American Legion supports the Pay our Troops Act and encourages all Legionnaires to contact
their members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation. Click here to reach out today.
THE PROGRESS OF VA SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANTS
Veteran suicide prevention is a long-standing priority for The American Legion, other veteran service
organizations (VSOs), and the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. Because the Department
of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) has not been able to decrease the suicide rate over the past two decades, VA
and Congress are looking to community care partners to save the lives of servicemembers.
The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) allows the
VA to fund community-based prevention programs for three years at a time in an effort to reach more at-
risk veterans. Of the first grantees chosen in 2022, 3 were chosen to testify before Congress this week to
discuss their experiences with the SSG Fox SPGP.
Subcommittee Chair Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-1), a former healthcare provider herself, opened
the hearing by encouraging VA to continue to look for creative and holistic approaches to suicide
prevention. “As a 24-year Army veteran,” says the Congresswoman, “I have seen the unique challenges
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 15, 2023
that many of my fellow veterans and servicemembers face... It is imperative that we work on solutions,
such as the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, to give veterans and
their family members the support that they so desperately need.” Ranking Member Julia Brownley (D-
CA-26) echoed Chair Miller-Meeks desire for continued innovation, and placed attention on female
veterans, whose suicide rate almost doubled between 2001 and 2021.
The first statement in the hearing came from Dr. Erica Scavella, who represents the VA. Dr. Scavella
emphasized the need for a public health approach to the veteran suicide crisis and emphasized that it is not
just a clinical issue. Social determinants must be considered, according to the Doctor, and individual
engagement outside the VA system is necessary.
While the other panelist shared the success of their community care initiatives, they were quick to
emphasize the importance of the VA system and infrastructure to the long-term treatment of suicidal
ideation. Members of Congress also requested that VA become more involved, and even questioned
whether the VA should be receiving funding for these programs.
Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) requested that Dr. Scavella’s office send a report to Congress detailing
how many veterans who are referred to VA receive care. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3) was more
pointed in his criticism, calling VA an “abject failure” in its suicide prevention efforts and questioning
why VA funding isn’t placed directly into these community programs.
Missy Meyer, the Director of Community Integration at America Warrior’s Project (AWP), provided her
opening remarks after Dr. Scavella. Ms. Meyer said AWP was able to provide suicide risk assessments to
over 1,050 veterans under the SSG Fox SPGP. Ms. Meyer lamented that her organization struggled to
access necessary resources to save this veteran and others, risking valuable time to save lives. She
suggested that SSG Fox grantees receive expedited access to care.
To Ms. Meyer, the program is overly transactional, and VA’s work with SSG Fox grantee should be
relational. Ms. Meyer encouraged VA to find a way to follow up with veterans who have received care
from SG Fox SPGP grantees, saying that VA follow-up and engagement is critical to at-risk veterans.
Across the board, subcommittee members seemed to agree with Ms. Meyer that VA should take a more
hands-on approach to the Grant program.
The next panelist, Ken Falke, is the founder of Boulder Crest Foundation. Boulder Crest aims to help
veterans can grow and thrive, rather than just cope, in the aftermath of trauma. Mr. Falke used his opening
remarks to encourage VA to remove funding caps for the SSG Fox SPGP and to include traumatic brain
injury (TBI) centers in the grant program. Like Ms. Meyer, Mr. Falke believes that VA should be more
involved with the grantees’ work. “We need to expand the collaborative partnership with the VA,”
declared Mr. Falke.
Later in the hearing, Mr. Falke attempted to assuage Ranking Member Brownley’s concern about
addressing suicide among woman veterans, saying that Boulder Crest has implemented women-only
programs, and about 27% of veterans enrolled in Boulder Crest programs are women.
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 15, 2023
Finally, Project Founder of Sheppard Pratt Health Systems Joyce King delivered her opening statements.
Ms. King’s organization treats social determinants of suicide risk, including unemployment and
homelessness, in tandem with clinical determinants. Although Ms. King did not comment on VAs role or
relationship with grantees, she did share data displaying the importance of a holistic, public-private
approach to veteran suicide prevention.
Ranking Member Brownley’s closing statement seemed to tie together the concerns of Congress and the
SSG Fox SPGP recipients. The Congresswoman said the VA is expected to engage in a positive way to
ensure that the SSG Fox SPGP and other grant programs are “data-driven, continuous improvement
models.”
CONGRESS PASSES NDAA IN THE ELEVENTH HOUR
On December 13th
, after months of negotiation and division, the Senate overwhelmingly agreed to pass the
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2024.
87 out of 100 Senators voted in favor of the bill, displaying the conference committee’s success in creating
a bill that is acceptable across party lines. However, this show of congressional unity came at the very last
minute, leaving the House with just one day to send the bill to President Biden’s desk before recess.
In the original version of the NDAA, House leaders included many social and cultural amendments which
were stripped from the bill passed by the Senate. Despite the changes to the text, the NDAA conference bill
still had strong support across the House of Representative.
Early on Thursday morning, with less than a day to spare before recess, the House voted in favor of the
critical spending package, allowing it to become law.
The bill includes a 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers, makes critical improvements to basic allowance for
housing (BAH), and ensures cost-of-living allowances for servicemembers stationed in high-cost regions.
On top of improvements to military quality of life, the bill makes critical authorizations to protect our allies
and foreign interests.
Notably, the bill funds the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through 2027, allowing $300 million to
be extended to Ukraine in 2024. The NDAA also ensures the United States’ commitment to NATO,
especially against the threat of Russian expansion. While containing the Russian threat remains a
geopolitical priority, the NDAA takes many steps to strengthen American positioning in the Pacific.
$14.7 billion is allocated to the Pacific Deterrence Initiative through 2024, which helps sustain a U.S.
military advantage over China. Moreover, the bill authorizes increased engagement and military
cooperation with Taiwan to deter Chinese military operations.
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 15, 2023
To further secure our posture in the pacific, the NDAA
enables the United States to engage in a partnership with
the United Kingdom and Australia known as AUKUS.
AUKUS bolsters Australia’s role in stabilizing the
region and maximizes American and British capabilities
in the Indo-Pacific when needed.
The bicameral and bipartisan work of the NDAA
conference is critical, and provisions for our nation’s
security can now be signed into law and authorized by
President Biden before the new year.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Tynetta Runnels, Texas
Congratulations to Tynetta Runnels, Department of Texas. Because of her ongoing advocacy efforts and
relationships with multiple lawmakers in Texas, Ms. Runnels has been selected as Legionnaire of the Week.
This week specifically, Ms. Runnels met with Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) to address mental
healthcare issues and VA staffing shortages. She and the Congressman risked potential new means for VA
funding and potential congressional partners for supporting veterans’ access to mental healthcare.
Tynetta, your work on behalf of Legionnaires and Veterans across the United States. The Legislative
Division is grateful for advocates like you and is ready to support your efforts in any way we can.
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
LEGISLATIVE DIVISION UPDATES
Before recessing until January of 2024, Congress passed the NDAA to secure defense funding through the
coming fiscal year. The NDAA secured many of The American Legion’s legislative priorities and helped
bolster American national security.
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 15, 2023
On Wednesday, December 13th
, the Legislative Division helped organize the Legislative Chairwoman’s
Quarterly Call. Legislative Division staff briefed National Legislative Commission Members, National
Legislative Council Vice Chairs, and National Legislative Council members on current legislative
activities and congressional outlook for the coming session. We thank all of those who were able to
attend.
Throughout the week, we met with a variety of congressional offices, including Rep. Mike Levin’s (D-
CA-49) quarterly VSO roundtable.
As part of our ongoing grassroots efforts, NLD staff will be traveling to posts around the country to provide
grassroots training tailored to the hosting department’s needs. If you are interested in hosting a grassroots
training event, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
UPCOMING CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS
There are no hearings scheduled for the remainder of the year.December 8, 2023
GRASSROOTS ALERT: TELL CONGRESS TO PAY OUR
TROOPS
The American Legion is continuing to monitor the Afghan Adjustment Act, which has been introduced and
negotiated in the House and the Senate. We encourage Congress to pass this legislation and keep our
promise to our Afghan Allies.
We continue to advocate for the Pay Our Troops Act (H.R. 5641), which currently has 113 bipartisan
cosponsors. With the government only narrowly avoiding shutdown twice for fiscal year 2024, it is
critical that we ensure our troops have peace of mind and timely pay regardless of when appropriations
bills are finalized.
Additionally, we are giving our support to the Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act (S. 2999), which would
ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are paid
in the event of a government shutdown.
The American Legion supports the Pay our Troops Act and encourages all Legionnaires to contact
their members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation. Click here to reach out today.
HOUSE PASSES TRIO OF LEGION-SUPPORTED BILLS
With only one more week until recess, the House of Representatives passed three bills supporting
veterans’ quality of life.
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 8, 2023
The COPE Act, sponsored by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA-2), led the way on December 5
th
. The bipartisan
bill permits and encourages the VA to support veterans’ family caregivers through counseling and
training.
Specifically, the bill allows the Secretary to award grants for mental health treatment for family caregivers
and requires that these grants be “distributed equitably” across urban and rural communities. When
speaking about her first bill, Rep. Kiggans said, “By ensuring [caregivers] can properly take care of
themselves, this bill will improve the lives of our nation’s heroes and solidify the support system they
need to age with dignity.
The next day, the House continued its good work by passing both the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act,
supporting caregivers and home healthcare for veterans, and the HOME Act to more funding to protect
homeless veterans.
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) wrote the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act to address deficiencies in the
VA’s homecare and caregiver programs by increasing the number of affordable alternatives to VA
nursing home care. The bill also improves the quality of noninstitutional care and creates many
community care programs including the “Veteran-Directed Care program” and the “Homemaker and
Home Health Aide program.”
The Veteran-Directed Care program allows the Secretary of VA to create partnerships with aging and
disability resource centers, independent living centers, and Native American or Tribal organizations
supporting the elderly. These partnerships could be used as decided and directed by individual veterans.
While the Veteran-Directed Care program expands community options, the Homemaker and Health Aide
permits these partnerships to be made with home health agencies and aides to further expand veterans’
options.
Rep. Brownley’s bill echoes the concerns raised in Rep. Kiggan’s COPE Act and ensures that family
caregivers will be given more resources and access to counseling services.
The American Legion Legislative Division is proud to see that these two bills have been received in the
Senate. Even more exciting is that they are joined by The HOME Act, which was introduced by Rep. Lori
Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-5) and was passed by the House on December 6
th
.
The HOME Act, also known as the Housing Our Military Veterans Effectively Act, increases the
maximum rate of per diem payments homeless veterans may receive. These payments are to be made by
existing entities that have received grants to help homeless veterans under section 2012 of title 38, U.S.
Code.
Rep. Chavez De-Remer’s bill also provides flexible funds that may be used to provide food, shelter,
hygiene items, tablets, phones, and other items that increase stability and safety for veterans. These funds
are also to be used for transportation of the veteran “for appointments with service providers, the conduct
of housing searches, and the obtainment of food and supplies.” After her bill passed, Rep. Chavez-
DeRemer said, “Our veterans stepped up to serve our country, and it’s our responsibility to care for them
in return.”
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 8, 2023
We appreciate the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s hard work to push these bills to the Senate and
look forward to continued advocacy in the second session.
THE LONG-AWAITED NDAA CONFERENCE REPORT
On Thursday, November 7
th
, The House and Senate Armed Services Committees announced that the
conference for the fiscal year 2024 (FY2024) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)was completed.
The Chairman and Ranking Members of the Committees wrote a statement applauding the work of their
conference. “Through months of hard-fought and productive negotiations,” said the conference leaders,
“we have crafted a bipartisan and bicameral conference report that strengthen our national security and
supports our servicemembers.”
Just to name a few effects of the 3,093-page report, the FY2024 NDAA details the appropriations for the
Department of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, guides research and development within the
Department of Defense, and determines personnel benefits and recruitment strategy.
Among its most crucial provisions, is the 5.2% pay raise for service members, the largest pay raise that
the U.S. military has seen in twenty years.
This pay raise is increasingly critical for our junior enlisted who are struggling to keep up with inflation,
which increased the cost-of-living by 8% in 2022. A 2023 report by the RAND Corporation declared that
between 25% and 32% of servicemembers were struggling to purchase food, and that this problem was
worse on bases where junior-enlisted servicemembers live.
With the cost-of-living continuing to rise across the United States, the pay raise is crucial to ensuring that
our servicemembers not only have basic access to nutrition but can also achieve a higher quality and
standard of living on and off base.
Thankfully, improving living conditions for military personnel was a matter on which both sides of the
conference agreed. On top of the much-needed pay increase, members of the conference agreed to
increase access to basic housing allowances (BAH).
BAH is an allowance provided to some servicemembers living off base, depending on the cost of property
in the area, pay grade, and whether the servicemember has dependents. The FY2024 NDAA allows
servicemembers whose barracks or vessels are undergoing maintenance to use BAH for temporary
housing, especially members in pay grades below E-6. The NDAA also ensures that, if the Secretary of
the VA deems a region to be high-cost, servicemembers in the area will receive a 5% cost-of-living
adjustment.
Many of The American Legion’s Legislative Priorities for the 118th Congress have been included in this
bill. Although the process was arduous, we are grateful to have a bill that not only increases our security
apparatus but also protects and uplifts military families.
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 8, 2023
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Thomas Drake, New York
Congratulations to Mr. Thomas Drake, Department of New York, for receiving Legionnaire of the Week!
This week, Mr. Drake went to the office of Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16). In his meeting he
spoke to staff to ensure that the Congressman is both aware and supportive of The American Legion’s
legislative priorities.
Mr. Drake, thank you for your support The American Legion. Your time and attention are very appreciated
by the Legislative Division.
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
LEGISLATIVE DIVISION UPDATES
This week, The Legislative Division carried out its annual holiday reception. Our peers and supporters
attended, including many members of Congress. Among them, Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA-6),
Representative Don Bacon (R-NE-2), pictured below, Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), and
Senator Todd Young (R-IN) gave remarks.
LegDiv. staff had various meetings on national security issues. Members of the team spoke with other
advocates about Citizenship for Service and met with a working group on the
Our team also spent time this week handling healthcare and memorial matters. Staff attended monthly
meetings on mental healthcare and attended briefings on the expansion of Arlington cemetery.
As the staff continued to meet with Congressional offices and other advocacy groups, we also prepared
for the Legislative Chairman’s Quarterly Call on Wednesday, December 13th
.
As part of our ongoing grassroots efforts, NLD staff will be traveling to posts around the country to provide
grassroots training tailored to the hosting department’s needs. If you are interested in hosting a grassroots
training event, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
National Legislative Division Weekly
December 8, 2023
UPCOMING CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS
Dec. 12
th 10:30am: HVAC Subcommittee on Health will hold the hearing “SSG Fox Suicide Prevention
Grants: Saving Veterans’ Lives Through Community Connection. This hearing can be livestreamed here.Get Out and Vote 11-07-2023 Let Your Voice Be Heard
National Legislative Division Weekly
October 6, 2023
GRASSROOTS ACTION UPDATE
As a government shutdown threatened the income of servicemembers across all branches of the Armed
Forces last week, Legionnaires ensured that the voice of our troops was heard across Capitol Hill. In just a
matter of days, more than 4,000 messages were sent from Legionnaires to their representatives in support
of the Pay Our Troops Act, helping secure over 100 co-sponsors on the bill.
While a shutdown has been averted until at least mid-November, a permanent budget for our military has
not been reached. Until both Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security can guarantee
timely and fair pay for our troops, The American Legion will continue to work with lawmakers for a
solution.
ADVOCATES FOR AFGHAN ADJUSTMENT REMAIN
STEADFAST
On Tuesday, September 3rd, lawmakers, veterans’ service organizations, and veterans from an Afghan
female tactical platoon (FTP) convened at the Veterans of Foreign Wars headquarters in Washington,
D.C. to discuss the future of the Afghan Adjustment Act.
The event’s speakers included Congressman Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Senator Amy Klobuchar (Minn.),
and the Legion’s own Legislative Associate Eric C. Johnson. Each of these advocates made it clear that a
path to citizenship for our Afghan allies will remain a top priority for their organizations and offices. The
speakers also reminded the audience that the United States made a covenant to protect the women of the
FTP, and other Afghan citizens, who fought shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the United States. As Senator
Klobuchar pointed out, the promise of citizenship through the Afghan Adjustment Act is not at all
unprecedented; in fact, it is a modern manifestation of the paths provided to our Vietnamese allies in the
20th century who faced persecution in their home country.
As stated by Eric C. Johnson of The American
Legion (pictured on the left), “This is not just an
immigration issue... This is a national security
issue. This is a keeping-our-promises issue.”
Under the current system, the FTP and other
allies are stuck in a state of limbo as they wait
years for their asylum approvals. Without asylum
or immigration status in the U.S., the women not
only face the risk of returning to an unsafe
environment under the Taliban, but also they do
not have the right to work and pursue a
meaningful livelihood in the United States. The
National Legislative Division Weekly
October 6, 2023
inability to work has taken its toll on the happiness of the FTP and other Afghan nationals in the United
States.
Mahnaz Akbari, the commander of the Afghan Female Tactical Platoon
(pictured on the right) shared her distress about not serving a purpose in
the United States. “We want to serve, we want to do more,” she says,
“but we don’t have the ability to do anything until someone makes a
decision about our permanent status.” When applying for asylum, as
Akbari and the other women are doing, the applicant must wait one year
to apply for work and employment status after their asylum application.
On top of the year requirement, United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) has suffered a years-long backlog,
increasing the wait time for work authorization and asylum approval.
The Afghan Adjustment Act, which is supported by The American
Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other veterans and military service organizations, would
simultaneously streamline the immigration process for the 150,000 Afghans applying for special
immigrant visas and increase the level of vetting the applicants undergo.
The bill, which was introduced this year as H.R. 4627 and S. 2327, has garnered bipartisan support with
43 cosponsors in the House and 13 in the Senate. The American Legion fully supports Afghan Adjustment
Act and its cause; we hope to see our lawmakers return the goodwill of our trusted Afghan allies and
provide them with well-earned protection, safety, and prosperity in the United States of America.
A SHUTDOWN WAS AVOIDED... WHAT NOW?
For months, the U.S. Congressional news cycle has been dominated by appropriations bills, or lack thereof.
Now, the House and the Senate have until mid-November to come to an agreement on spending for Fiscal
Year 2024.
Although it is encouraging that both parties in the House and Senate were able to find common ground for
the continuing resolution, both chambers have quite a bit of headway to make. As government entities will
continue to operate at 2023 levels until November 17th
, the Senate is revisiting an early minibus, a package
of three spending bills, that failed to gain traction in September. Senator Roger Marshall (Kan.), who sits
on the Senate Budget Committee, had previously blocked the minibus but has agreed to lift his hold in
exchange for a vote on a S. 1838, a bill sponsored by Sen. Durbin (Ill.) on credit card regulation.
The Senate minibus, if continued in its original form, would include appropriations for MilCon-VA (S.
2127), Agriculture (S.2131), and Transportation and HUD (S. 2437). If the Senate can bring the minibus to
a vote and pass the package, five government departments, including DOD and VA will have guaranteed
funds for FY2024 and will avoid shutdown. However, there would still be 9 more appropriations bills stuck
in Senate limbo that must pass before November 17th to avoid total or partial shutdown.
National Legislative Division Weekly
October 6, 2023
The House, on the other hand, is in even more disarray than it was prior to October 1, the original deadline
for appropriations bills. The approval of the continuing resolution that is currently funding the government
only deepened the divide between House Republicans; the most shocking result of this intraparty conflict
was the ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA) as Speaker of the House by members of his own party. As
the House scrambles to find a permanent replacement for Rep. McCarthy, Rep. McClintock (CA) claims
that citizens “can expect week after week of fruitless ballots while no other business con be conducted.”
Rep. McClintock’s prediction of inefficiency has proved to be true. While congressmen focus on navigating
the unprecedented removal of the Speaker, two appropriations bills were removed from this week’s
schedule because of the chaos. The house will not reconvene again until Friday, September 13th
.
Although the House is technically moving faster than the Senate with 3 appropriations bills already passed,
these bills have already faced major backlash in the Senate and are unlikely to make headway.
Unfortunately, there is not a clear timeline for when these bills, or the 9 others that must pass both chambers,
will be revisited.
SENATORS WANT ANSWERS ON HOUSING FOR
DISABLED MILITARY FAMILY MEMBERS
This article was written by Karen Jowers for MilitaryTimes.Com.
Two senators are pressing defense officials on continued concerns about housing for military families with
disability-related needs. They want to know, for example, how many military families have had to pay out
of pocket for changes to their on-base housing — such as drop-down rails or ramps — in the past 10 years,
and how many families have had to pay to undo the changes when they moved out of their homes.
“There is a clear need for additional actions by DoD, as well as oversight from Congress, in order to address
concerns about the [Exceptional Family Member Program] raised by residents, surveys, Government
National Legislative Division Weekly
October 6, 2023
Accountability Office reports, and congressional investigations and testimony,” wrote Sens. Elizabeth
Warren, D-Mass., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in their Oct. 5 letter addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd
Austin. Warren chairs the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee.
DoD’s Exceptional Family Member Program is designed to provide support to military families with a
physical, emotional, developmental or intellectual disorder requiring specialized services. According to
DoD, as of 2022, about 110,000 active-duty members were in the program, which is mandatory for active-
duty personnel who have a family member with special medical or educational needs.
Military families have raised a variety of concerns about different aspects of EFMP over the years. In
response, DoD took steps this year to standardize policies related to identification and enrollment in EFMP,
assignment coordination, support for the families, disenrollment and respite care.
The senators’ questions are specifically about housing, following up on information they received from
DoD last year, such as the availability and tracking of housing that complies with the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
Defense officials didn’t respond to Military Times’ queries, saying they will respond directly to the senators,
who have given them until Oct. 19 to provide the requested information.
According to a small, online survey by the Military Housing Advocacy Network, about 20% of respondents
said they were forced to use their own money to pay for necessary ADA accommodations at their on-base
housing, such as drop-down rails and ramps.
These problems were confirmed by DoD in its 2022 response. Tenants at several Army bases were required
to pay for ADA accommodations, but not Navy and Marine Corps families. The Air Force didn’t collect
the information. Without it, the Air Force can’t adequately oversee its EFMP and whether its providing
comprehensive support, the senators said.
Some EFMP families have said the “outrageous” housing process requires an excessive amount of
paperwork requiring “an uncomfortable amount of information” about their health status to get assigned to
an ADA-compliant home. DoD didn’t respond to the senators’ previous questions about these concerns,
and the senators are pressing for more information on what DoD is doing to protect families’ privacy.
The senators ask for specifics on several issues, such as:
• Housing waitlists for EFMP families;
• The number of ADA-compliant homes available at each installation;
• How many complaints have been received from EFMP families related to housing;
• What penalties housing companies face for not providing ADA-compliant housing; and
• How many penalties has DoD imposed over the past five years.
According to the department’s 2022 response, while privatized housing companies maintain waitlists of
families who need accessible housing, some of the Army and Marine Corps’ on-base housing offices said
National Legislative Division Weekly
October 6, 2023
they don’t have access to them. The Air Force said 28 out of 69 installations either didn’t maintain waitlists
or the information was not available.
DoD must centralize and standardize housing waitlists and wait times to ensure military families can move
in a timely manner and get appropriate housing, and that privatized housing companies are complying with
disability laws, the senators wrote.
There are installations where the average amount of time a family spends on a waitlist isn’t tracked at all,
but the information that is reported “is disturbing,” senators said. More than 10 bases reported wait times
of more than 90 days in 2020. One Army base reported wait times had gotten worse, with an average of
nine to 12 months in 2020, compared to two to six months in 2018.
DoD must accurately track the availability of ADA-compliant housing and any complaints related to it, the
senators said. Even the services that do collect the number of requests for ADA housing don’t do it
consistently. The Army and the Air Force EFMP offices don’t track request and complaint information at
all. The Navy and Marine Corps EFMP offices do collect requests, but not complaints.
“The incremental improvements and continued oversight challenges make the lives of service members and
their families difficult and raise questions about morale and readiness which also impact retention,” the
senators wrote.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
To recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual every week.
These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting their
Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a difference
and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Maurice McWhirter, Iowa
We would like to thank Mauric McWhirter for his outstanding work on behalf of the Legion. A true jack-
of-all-trades, Mr. McWhirter served in the U.S. Navy as captain and as an agent in the Naval Criminal
Investigation Unit, has been a registered nurse, practiced law as an attorney, and served as an administrative
law judge.
Mr. McWhirter visited Washington, D.C. this past week and sat down with his state representatives to
update them on the Legion’s key legislative issues. We even had the honor of seeing Mr. McWhirter and
his lovely wife in our D.C. office last Friday!
Mr. Mcwhirter- we here in the Legislative Division applaud your dedication and hope to see you back in
D.C. soon!
National Legislative Division Weekly
October 6, 2023
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
LEGISLATIVE DIVISION UPDATES
On Tuesday, NLD staff attended a morning reception at the Veterans’ of Foreign Wars headquarters in
support of the Afghan Adjustment Act. Legislative Associate Eric C. Johnson spoke at the event. More
details can be found on the first page.
Additionally, NLD Staff spent this week preparing for upcoming hearings and met with staffers from the
House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs to discuss the content.
Finally, NLD staff attended many joint sessions with other VSOs this week to discuss predatory actors,
mental health and suicide prevention, and healthcare access.
As part of our ongoing grassroots efforts, NLD staff will be traveling to posts around the country to provide
grassroots training tailored to the hosting department’s needs. If you are interested in hosting a grassroots
training event, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
UPCOMING CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS
There are no relevant hearings scheduled in the House or the Senate next week.National Legislative Division Weekly
July 21, 2023
GRASSROOTS ALERT: BATTLE SHIFTS TO THE SENATE
TO PASS RICHARD STAR AMENDMENT
This week, the Senate is beginning its consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act - and we
need your help to include language that supports our disabled veteran military retirees. The Major Richard
Star Act is scheduled to be introduced as Amendment #142 to the NDAA and is expected to be put to a vote
as soon as Monday. Your voice can make a difference in passing this legislation in the Senate!
The American Legion supports the Richard Star Act and encourages all Legionnaires to contact their
members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation. Click here to reach out today.
CONGRESS
The Senate started floor consideration of its FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on
Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) predicts they will finish sometime next week. So
far, nine amendments have received stand-alone votes. A package of 52 amendments (21 Democratic, 21
Republican, and nine bipartisan) has been cleared by both sides for consideration as an en bloc package.
One of the amendments in that package, which has yet to be formally introduced on the floor, would extend
until February 1, 2025, the ability of Military Departments to retain some medical research and public health
activities. The 2017 NDAA moved all of those activities into the Defense Health Agency, but Congress has
allowed some programs to stay within individual Services a little longer.
Last week, Rep. Greene (R-GA) surprised many by voting for the NDAA when, just the night before, she
told reporters she would vote against it when several House Freedom Caucus amendments failed to be
adopted. On Friday, she told reporters she switched her vote after Speaker McCarthy (R-CA) promised her
a seat on the conference committee for the NDAA.
If the Senate does pass the NDAA next week, staff will be able to spend the August recess preparing for a
formal conference in September.
However, Thursday afternoon Sen. Marshall (R-KS) threatened to derail the NDAA proceedings if his
legislation, cosponsored with Sen. Durbin (D-IL), on credit card transactions does not see action. This
legislation would ensure that credit card companies offer a choice of at least two networks over which an
electronic credit transaction may be processed. The industry strenuously opposes the measure.
That assumes there is an August recess. Several Democrats have started floating the possibility of keeping
the Senate in session during August to take up the military promotion votes impacted by Sen. Tuberville’s
(R-AL) hold. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) chair Sen. Reed (D-RI) says it would take almost
90 days to clear all of the promotions through regular procedural processes if the Senate were to work eight
hours a day. If they worked around the clock, including on weekends, the task could be accomplished in
just under 30 days. Schumer has not denied the possibility of cancelling the August recess.
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 21, 2023
In the meantime, on Thursday, the SASC reported out almost 2,700 more military promotions, including
Gen. Brown to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Gen. George to be Army Chief of Staff. Sen.
Tuberville (R-AL) was among the committee members to unanimously approve these nominations. Of
course, his hold will prevent rapid approval by the full Senate.
Pentagon representatives briefed the SASC on Wednesday concerning the reproductive care travel and leave
policy fueling Tuberville’s hold. Democrats left the meeting telling reporters they were fully convinced of
the policy’s legality, while Republicans made clear they were not convinced.
Tuberville also had another phone call with Defense Secretary Austin this week, which he described as
cordial. The Senator has made clear he will only be appeased with the Pentagon repealing the policy. He
acknowledges that any vote in the Senate for repeal would fail, and this will not satisfy him. Tuberville
continues to tell reporters he does not believe military claims that readiness and national security are harmed
by his extended hold, since someone is covering every affected position. He does not respond when asked
about the fates of families impacted by the uncertainty of their service member’s status and future, with
moving and school plans thrown into limbo. While refusing to accept the results of a Senate vote on repeal,
Tuberville told a reporter the Pentagon does not “have any appetite for concessions.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee, on Thursday, voted out three more spending bills. Schumer
continues to express confidence in his Chamber moving forward on appropriations legislation, after the
NDAA is finished. It is unclear how this could happen before the August recess begins.
During that hearing, committee chair Sen. Murray (D-WA) acknowledged that the topline spending
amounts allowed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) require cuts in most federal programs. She said
she has reached agreement with her ranking member, Sen. Collins (R-ME), to add $13.7 billion in additional
emergency appropriations. Of that, $8 billion would be for defense and $5.7 billion would be spread among
four non-defense spending bills. “This additional spending,” she said, “is important for us to be able to
continue to work together on a bipartisan basis to address the urgent challenges our country faces.”
The appropriations process in the House is moving far less smoothly. Republicans continue to attach
provisions limiting LGBTQ rights, abortion services and care, and diversity initiatives. Democrats are
pushing back. On Tuesday, the committee was forced to recess twice during its markup of the
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill. The uproar followed introduction of a
Republican amendment to strip out three earmarked projects for LGBTQ community centers.
House Majority Leader McCarthy (R-CA) is beginning to talk about the possibility of passing a single
omnibus or multiple minibuses of spending bills, rather than single appropriations bills as he had sworn to
do at the start of the year.
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 21, 2023
FEMALE ADMIRAL NOMINATED TO BE NAVY’S NEXT
TOP OFFICER, 1ST WOMAN TO LEAD A MILITARY
SERVICE
[From Stars and Stripes]
President Joe Biden on Friday nominated Navy
Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti to become the first
woman to lead a military service and be a
member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“Franchetti will bring 38 years of dedicated
service to our nation as a commissioned officer,
including in her current role of vice chief of
naval operations,” Biden said. “She is the second
woman ever to achieve the rank of four-star
admiral in the United States Navy, and when confirmed, she will again make history as the first
woman to serve as the chief of naval operations and on the Joint Chiefs.”
Franchetti, 59, joined the Navy in the mid-1980s and has held several commands, including the
Sixth Fleet, Naval Forces Korea, the USS Ross and multiple carrier strike groups. She will succeed
Adm. Michael Gilday as chief of naval operations – the highest-ranking officer in the Navy and key
adviser to the Secretary of the Navy. Gilday retires Aug. 21.
A graduate of Northwestern University, Franchetti grew up in New York and was commissioned in
the Navy in 1985. She’s served on several ships and was once assistant to the Secretary of the Navy.
Franchetti has also attended the Naval War College in Rhode Island and earned a master’s degree in
organizational management.
Biden on Friday also nominated three other Navy leaders. He nominated Vice Adm. James Kilby to
be vice chief of naval operations, Adm. Samuel Paparo as commander of Indo-Pacific Command, and
Vice Adm. Stephen Koehler as commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
“[They] represent the best of the United States Navy. Together, these four highly decorated naval
officers have extensive operational and command experience,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
“I’m very proud that Adm. Franchetti has been nominated to be the first woman chief of naval
operations and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where she will continue to inspire all of us.”
It’s not yet known, however, when Franchetti might formally ascend to the job. She joins a long list
of military officers who have been promoted, but are unable to receive swift Senate confirmation
due to the block of the votes by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 21, 2023
Tuberville has been singlehandedly blocking more than 200 military promotions over his
opposition to a Pentagon policy that reimburses travel expenses for service members who must
travel to another state for reproductive health care. The policy is the result of several states
severely restricting or banning abortions in the past year.
Senate rules allow one senator to hold up what is usually an expedited confirmation process on the
floor of the upper chamber. Tuberville has repeatedly defended his action, which holds the Senate
from simultaneously confirming large numbers of military promotions in a single voice vote. He has
maintained the Senate can still confirm military leaders nominated for promotion one at a time.
Democrats, however, have rejected that idea, saying it would eat up months of Senate business time.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Christopher Holt, Texas
This week, we are excited to recognize Christopher Holt from the Department of Texas for meeting with
Representative Ronnie Jackson (R-TX-13). Christopher spoke with Rep. Jackson for over an hour at the
Will Rogers Rodeo Arena about current issues at the local VA and getting his support to help bring a
Veterans Cemetery to the Texas Panhandle. Rep. Jackson then helped Christopher’s Post sell Raffle Tickets
and talked to a few of the Veterans about their concerns.
Thank you, Christopher!
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
UPCOMING HEARINGS
• On Wednesday, July 26 at 3:00pm EST, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) will hold
a hearing on "Implementing the PACT (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) Act: One Year
Later." Here is the link to watch.
• On Wednesday, July 26 at 4:00pm EST, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) will hold a
hearing on "Potential Budgetary Efficiencies Achieved Through Improvement to Management and
Planning Processes Within Department of Defense Personnel Programs." Here is the link to watch.
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 21, 2023
• On Thursday, July 27 at 10:00am EST, the House Veterans Subcommittee on Disability Assistance
and Memorial Affairs will hold an oversight hearing titled: “VA Disability Exams: Are Veterans
Receiving Quality Services?”. Here is the link to watch.GRASSROOTS ALERT: BATTLE SHIFTS TO THE SENATE TO PASS RICHARD STAR AMENDMENT
This week, the Senate is beginning its consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act - and we need your help to include language that supports our disabled veteran military retirees. The Major Richard Star Act is scheduled to be introduced as Amendment #142 to the NDAA and is expected to be put to a vote as soon as Monday. Your voice can make a difference in passing this legislation in the Senate!
The American Legion supports the Richard Star Act and encourages all Legionnaires to contact their members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation.All
The Sons of The American Legion is inviting you to a scheduled SAL Legislative Zoom meeting.
Agenda will be Review of yearly goals and open Discussion on Legislation and issues.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://legion.zoom.us/j/99120700860?pwd=bDVjUGJzcHBMZmZUMFdWb1N0c3d6Zz09
Date: Bi-Monthly, 3rd Thursday starting Jan 20, 2023
Time: 7:30 PM (Eastern)
Meeting ID: 991 2070 0860
Passcode: 092260
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
Vice Chairman Blair Miles will be chairing this meeting as I will be out of town.
I have attached the George B. Evans Veterans Advocate of the Year Award Form. We only have 3 submissions from Florida, Maryland and South Dakota at this time. You have until August 26 to submit to me the form nominating someone from your Detachment. You may submit by e-mail or snail mail. Addresses are on bottom of form.
Tom Deal
SAL National Legislative Chairman
Sons of The American Legion
Sons of The American Legion
George B. Evans Grassroots Veterans'
Advocate of the Year Award
Nomination Form
Description:
• This award recognizes a Son’s Member who has performed outstanding service and made
significant contributions in time and effort to Grassroots Veterans’ Advocacy work.
• An award may be presented each year to a member who takes on a bold leadership role by
building relationships with elected officials who directly impact public policy; by actively taking
the message of the National Sons of The American Legion to key media outlets; and by
developing strong grassroot initiatives.
Eligibility Criteria:
Has/Does the nominee: (answer questions below by selecting the yes/no box)
YES NO
1. been actively involved on a Legislative Committee, involving direct reporting
to District, Detachment, or National Legislative Chairs?
2. participated in a “Key Contact” program to communicate with legislators?
3. participated in a “Day on the Hill” or special legislative day event?
4. signed up for VoterVOICE?
5. have an active liaison with your local/state legislators?
6. have a good relationship with the local media where you send press
releases, articles for business, letters to editors, etc?
7. actively use “Social Media” for legislative info sharing,
(Like Facebook, Twitter Electronic Newsletter, email, etc.)
8. ever attended a State or National Legislative workshop?
9. ever attended a National or Local legislative hearing?
10. attend the Washington Conference this year?
** Note: If you have any additional documentation of activities, please attach them to
this Award Application Package **
Page 1 of 2
Member’s Name: (printed / typed)
Member ID # Squadron No. Detachment (state) Phone # Member Email
Member’s Cap Size -
Nominator’s Name Squadron No. Detachment (state) Phone # Nominator Email
*** ATTENTION NOMINATOR ***
Please include a short, detailed paragraph on why you are nominating this member
for this award, and include it with this package.
Application Rules: - VERY IMPORTANT!!!
• Award nominations may be submitted by any individual, Squadron, District or Detachment
• Award candidate must have current “Good Standing” Membership in the SAL for at least 1 year.
• The deadline for accepting the Award Application Package is July 20.
• The decision of the Awards Committee is final, with a potential winner being announced at this
year’s National Convention, during the Legislative Chairman’s final report.
• Any documentation to verify criteria in the summary can be submitted as well, you may summarize
the documentation.
• Make a copy of everything you submit for your records and either mail or scan & email this entire
application package to:
Mail: Thomas G. Deal, 1434 Clayton Street, Perryville, MD 21903
Scan & Email: [email protected] (subject line: George B. Evans Advocate of the Year)National Legislative Division Weekly
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 7, 2023
CONGRESS
Lawmakers return to Washington next week under
pressure to make progress on annual spending bills.
Language in the debt ceiling law (PL 118-5) inspired
by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) seeks to light a fire
under them to complete the fiscal 2024 appropriations
process by Jan. 1.
At that point, if all Congress has been able to do is
pass continuing resolutions at the current fiscal year's
funding rate, then the spending caps for fiscal 2024
will reset to much different levels than the debt
ceiling deal envisioned.
In other appropriations news, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart
(R-FL) in his first year as chairman of the subcommittee with responsibility for foreign aid, is putting his
thumbprint on Western Hemisphere programs. Among his proposals is a 50 percent funding boost for
democracy promotion efforts in Cuba.
Diaz-Balart's panel, the State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, advanced its bill before
the Fourth of July recess. The draft bill would block funding for presidential envoys. Those cuts would hit
John Kerry's position as President Joe Biden's special envoy for climate issues.
Over on the Senate side, appropriators are gearing up for the Financial Services Appropriations
Subcommittee markup on July 11. It's set to be the first of the Senate's 12 annual spending bills to get a
subcommittee markup. The full committee approved the Agriculture and Military Construction-VA bills
last month; both bypassed subcommittee markups.
NDAA UPDATE
Lawmakers have filed more than 1,400 amendments to the House version of the fiscal 2024 defense
authorization (HR 2670) ahead of floor consideration scheduled for next week.
Republican leaders will need to sift through the proposals and determine which will get votes in the full
House. But the amendments suggest GOP lawmakers are eager to chew over political issues.
Republicans also filed several amendments to chip away at the Pentagon's diversity, equity and inclusion
initiatives. And gender identity and treatment of transgender troops could also be a focus.
While those amendments hit on culture war topics, the debate could also shine a light on Republican
divisions on larger issues, including the appetite for more Ukraine aid.
Rep. Massie (R-KY)
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 7, 2023
AS VETERAN DISABILITY CLAIMS SOAR,
UNACCREDITED COACHES PROFIT OFF FRUSTRATION
WITH VA SYSTEM
Original Article: Here (Texas Tribune)
Jim Peckey was a young Navy petty officer stationed in Bahrain when the 9/11 attacks happened. As the
nation went on a war footing, he suddenly shifted from administrative and IT duties to lugging water and
equipment 12 hours a day, seven days a week — work that left him with chronic neck and back pain. He
retired in 2002 but he put off applying for benefits because, like millions of veterans, he felt overwhelmed
by the paperwork required.
That changed in 2020, when he watched a YouTube video in which a fellow veteran, Brian T. Reese,
promised to help veterans navigate the benefits maze and lead “happier, healthier and wealthier” lives.
Peckey signed on as a customer with Reese’s company, Austin-based VA Claims Insider. The 44-year-old
Abilene resident, who now does IT work for a defense contractor, said he was charged nearly $10,000 for
about six hours of coaching, some of which included watching pre-recorded online informational sessions
with as many as 400 other attendees at a time.
Although Peckey did get a monthly disability check of around $1,500, he felt he was charged for
information he could have found on the internet. To help him qualify for benefits, the company’s coach
pushed him to emphasize mental distress, Peckey said, even though what he considered that to be a
“backseat concern” and wanted top-notch care for his chronic physical pain.
“Nothing short of a nightmare,” he wrote in a December 2021 complaint filed with the Texas attorney
general’s office, in which he accused the company of “slimy car sales tactics” and “defrauding veterans out
of their benefits.” Peckey said he wanted to sue but could not find a lawyer to take on the case. He refused
to pay VA Claims Insider, which then hired a collection agency to pursue his debt; he says he felt so strongly
about the matter that he accepted the hit to his credit score.
In another complaint, Shana Hill, the wife of a Marine Corps veteran in Houston, said their coach “showed
late and was disorganized and did not provide any strategy as advertised and promised.” Another veteran,
Simon Keller of Tucson, Arizona, estimated that he had paid nearly $8,000 for two hours of assistance and
claimed the company was “extorting” veterans.
The Texas Tribune spoke with five of a dozen or so people who complained to the Texas attorney general
about VA Claims Insider. All said the state hadn’t meaningfully followed up on their concerns. Peckey, the
Abilene veteran, said that the office suggested that he hire a private lawyer, or talk to the Better Business
Bureau.
To read more, click here.
National Legislative Division Weekly
July 7, 2023
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Joseph Burns, New York
This week, we are excited to recognize Joseph Burns from the Department of New York for meeting with
the office of Rep. Garbarino (R-NY) to discuss H.R. 2693, the Pay our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2023.
They also planned a Vietnam veterans pinning ceremony.
Thank you, Mr. Burns!
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
UPCOMING HEARINGS
• On Wednesday, July 12, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
will be holding a legislative hearing. The American Legion will be testifying, you can watch here.
• On Wednesday, July 12, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) will be holding a pending
legislation hearing.
• On Thursday, July 13, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity will
hold a hearing titled “Reviewing the Digital G.I. Bill Program.”
•June 30, 2023
GRASSROOTS ALERT: SUPPORT NEEDED THIS WEEK
ON VETERANS’ CAREGIVERS
In a significant move last week, the House Armed Services Committee approved the Major Richard Star
Act, signifying a critical milestone for the legislation. Veterans forced to retire due to combat injuries have
been denied retirement compensation, and it is time we ask Congress to finally correct this injustice. The
American Legion needs your help to get this critical piece of legislation onto the House floor for a vote!
The American Legion supports the Richard Star Act and encourages all Legionnaires to contact their
members of Congress and ask them to support the legislation. Click here to reach out today.
CONGRESS
[By Matthew Adams/Stars and Stripes]
Tackling veteran homelessness is part of a White House announcement Thursday to spend $3.1 billion to
combat the overall crisis through community support grants.
The new measure is “the largest-ever, single-year investment ... to help communities address
homelessness,” the Biden administration said in a statement.
About 33,000 veterans across the country lack access to permanent housing, down 11% since 2020 and
down 55% since 2010, according to the 2022 Point-in-Time Count released by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development.
The VA has been addressing the issue of homeless veterans for the past two years with a target of placing
38,000 veterans into permanent housing. The VA exceeded that goal by finding more than 40,000 veterans
a place to live in 2022.
The $3.1 billion will be provided to HUD’s Continuum of Care Program, which awards funds for
community groups and local governments to help provide support to families facing the threat of
homelessness.
The money will not be solely earmarked for veterans, but the White House is encouraging officials with the
Continuum of Care program to work with participants to “coordinate with local Department of Veterans
Affairs medical centers to ensure these funds are effectively supporting veterans and their families.”
Other efforts in the new investment include $11.5 million in legal services grants, a first of its kind,
according to the White House, to help veterans obtain representation in landlord-tenant disputes, as well as
assist in other court proceedings such as child support, custody or estate planning.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 30, 2023
“For veterans, legal support can be the difference between becoming homeless and having safe, stable
housing,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement. “With the award of these first-of-their-kind
VA grants, more veterans will have the legal representation they deserve, which will increase their access
to housing and employment.”
The Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service is being awarded more than $58
million to help connect homeless veterans with job opportunities. The money will go toward veterans
learning occupational skills and participating in on-the-job training in fields such as manufacturing,
construction, information technology and cybersecurity.
There also will be a new series of “boot camps” conducted by HUD and the VA to help VA medical centers
and public housing agencies find veterans a place to live more quickly.
SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS GI BILL CASE THAT COULD
AFFECT 1.7 MILLION VETERANS
[From Military.com]
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a case on the handling of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits by
the Department of Veterans Affairs -- a proceeding that could provide additional education benefits for
roughly 1.7 million veterans.
The court announced Monday that it would hear the case, Rudisill v. McDonough, which argues that service
members enrolled in different versions of the GI Bill -- in Rudisill's case, the Montgomery GI Bill and the
Post-9/11 GI Bill -- should be entitled to benefits under both programs up to a maximum of four years.
James Rudisill, while serving as an enlisted soldier, used 25 of his 36 months of eligibility under the
Montgomery GI Bill to earn his undergraduate degree. He later became a commissioned officer and signed
up for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, but he never used it while on active duty.
After he left the Army, however, he applied to Yale Divinity School, intending to pay for it with his Post-
9/11 benefits, and return to the Army as a chaplain. He believed he had 23 months of additional education
benefits under a Korean War-era law that allows veterans to use benefits from any individual programs or
combination up to 48 months.
But the VA said he only rated nine additional months, for a total of 36 -- the maximum allowable amount
for each program – saying the law that created the Post-9/11 GI Bill limited entitlement to one program or
the other, based on the veteran's choice.
Rudisill went to court, and a federal district court agreed. The VA appealed, and in 2021, a three-judge
panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the ruling.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 30, 2023
The VA then petitioned for the case to be heard by the full U.S. Court of Appeals, which overturned the
previous rulings. The court issued an opinion saying that if a veteran has used some benefits under the
Montgomery GI Bill program and elected to receive benefits under the Post-9/11 program, the benefits
would be limited to one month, or a partial month, of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill for each month
of unused benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill.
In their decision, the judges wrote that the statute was "unambiguous."
But Rudisill's attorneys said judges weren't looking at the entirety of the law, and they filed a petition to the
Supreme Court.
"The [Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit] missed the forest for the trees. They missed the core
protections in the GI bills going back to the original, which is that those who served in multiple qualified
periods of service get to have the benefits of full benefits from those two periods of service up to 48 months,"
Misha Tseytlin, an attorney with the national law firm Troutman Pepper, said during an interview with
Military.com.
After the court announcement on Monday, Rudisill said during an interview with Military.com that he felt
"relieved, elated ... a whole pot of adjectives I could probably choose from," and that he continued his suit
for the veterans he served alongside in combat.
Rudisill, who served across three periods of active duty -- from 2000 to 2002 in the Army, 2004 to 2005 in
the Army National Guard and from 2007 to 2011 as an Army officer -- lost his spot at Yale but continued
his divinity education while working as a special agent for the FBI.
He estimates, by his calculations, that he may still have a year of education benefits left. But, he adds, he
continued the fight for other veterans in a similar situation.
"It was just the right thing to do. Over and over again, the VA has shown me and my buddies that I went to
Iraq and Afghanistan with ... that if they are not held to account, these kinds of transgressions they make
against the demographic they supposedly support [will] continue to happen," Rudisill said.
Rudisill's legal team must submit a brief to the court in the next 45 days. The Justice Department then has
an opportunity to respond. Timothy McHugh, also an attorney with Troutman Pepper working on the case,
said he expects oral arguments to take place in November or December.
He expressed optimism for his client and the veterans the case represents, saying that the justices likely
wouldn’t have taken the case if they agreed with the appellate court’s decision.
"I think that's a significant sign that the court has decided to take this up," McHugh said
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 30, 2023
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Jeremy Ehart, Kansas
This week, we are excited to recognize Jeremy Ehart Runnels from the Department of Kansas for meeting
with the office of Senator (and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member) Jerry Moran at the
Department of Kansas Headquarters. Jeremy and Department Commander Randy Frank welcomed Senator
Moran's senior advisors and discussed the Legion's priorities for the year as well as issues identified with
current legislation.
Thank you, Jeremy!
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
UPCOMING HEARINGS
There are no hearings next week.National Legislative Division Weekly
June 23, 2023
LEGION TESTIFIES ON SUICIDE PREVENTION
LEGISLATION
In a very personal and emotional testimony before a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC)
subcommittee on Health, Tiffany Ellett shared her own experiences losing friends and loved ones to suicide,
why it’s so critical to stem this tide in the veteran community and beyond, and how The American Legion
is working toward that goal.
Addressing HVAC’s Subcommittee on Health on June 21, The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs &
Rehabilitation Division director named four people close to her who have taken their own lives in the past
three years, including two veterans. “Mental health and suicide do not just affect one community in one
way,” Ellett said as she teared up. “This is a complex problem that needs a multifaceted solution. We, as a
society, need to do better.”
Ellett shared 2021 statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that
show an estimated 12.3 million adults in the U.S. seriously considered suicide, 3.5 million planned an
attempt and 1.7 million attempted. “(The) Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health
care network in the United States,” she said. “If any organization has the ability to pull together the means
to create a multifaceted solution to the mental health epidemic plaguing the United States and its veteran
population, it is VA.”
Ellett expressed support for both the VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Act of 2023 and the PFC Joseph P.
Dwyer Peer Support Program Act, noting the Legion’s efforts on both fronts.
“In 2021, The American Legion started its Be The One movement to destigmatize and encourage the
discussion of mental health, suicide and seeking help,” Ellett said. “This movement, in combination with
our Buddy Check Program created in 2019 and adopted by VA through 2023 legislation, are examples of
The American Legion’s constant vigorous support of peer-to-peer solutions for veterans’ mental health
complexities.”
The transition from the military to the civilian workforce can also be a stressor for mental health, said Ellett,
noting “a veteran’s perceived loss of identity or mission. One of the solutions for this empty space is to
immediately provide a new mission to the veteran. This is just one of the reasons we support the Veterans
Serving Veterans Act of 2023, which assists in building a direct path for a corpsman or medic to become
an Intermediate Care Technician (ICT), augmenting the VA medical workforce. That being said, we would
like to see the Department of Homeland Security included in this legislation so that the Coast Guard Health
Services Technicians may be included in the recruitment database. We think the VA ICT program is one
that with increased use could not only assist in amplifying personnel for our veterans, but could also provide
much-needed transition assistance to those exiting the service by giving them a mission to move directly
into.
Ellett closed by discussing legislation being considered to expand care for veterans through improving long-
term care, home services and living conditions, and community care.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 23, 2023
“The American Legion believes that veterans, and their families, are best served when their long-term care
needs are promptly met while also honoring their self-autonomy and giving them the choice to remain
within their local communities,” she said. “We support the introduced legislation that not only calls for an
increase in funding to support housing improvements for disabled veterans so they may retain self-
autonomy in the comfort of their own home, but also that which calls for codifying community care access
standards to ensure veterans will receive timely, quality health care.”
Ellett also stressed the importance of caring for those who care for others. “Often the caregivers of veterans,
be they spouses, siblings, even children, carry a burden that many of us don’t see,” she said. “They do such
a good job of holding up the veteran that no one sees the cracks in the foundation. As a disabled veteran,
the spouse of a disabled veteran, and an advocate for our veterans and their families, I have witnessed the
demons that lay in wait in the dark for each of us. The American Legion calls on Congress to pass legislation
such as those discussed today to assist in evolving care and support for our nation’s veterans and their
families.
Read Ellett’s submitted testimony here. Watch Ellett’s oral testimony beginning at the 1:05:28 mark here.
CONGRESS
As both the House and the Senate prepare to take
a two-week break, authorizers and appropriators
on both sides of the Hill were busy this week.
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC)
marked up its FY24 National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) on Wednesday. The
committee sped through consideration of about
800 amendments (of which around 50 received
some level of debate) and still managed to end
shortly after midnight, which is almost a record
for them. This was enabled, in part, to the
committee’s adoption of electronic voting,
which proved to be much, much faster than the
old process of calling the roll.
An amendment by Rep. Escobar (D-TX) was adopted to remove copayments under TRICARE for
contraception. This places the military community on par with civilians in terms of insurance coverage.
Although HASC chair Rep. Rogers (R-AL) opposed the amendment, it was adopted on a bipartisan 35-24
vote.
Another amendment, introduced by Rep. Courtney (D-CT), will have the Department of Defense (DoD)
conduct a study to investigate ways to help Ukraine develop centers of excellence (CoEs) for treating
Rep. Escobar (D-TX)
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 23, 2023
traumatic brain and extremity injuries. This was the most bipartisan amendment of the day that received a
roll call vote, receiving 49 ayes and 10 nays.
At the end of the day, the full bill was reported out of the committee on an almost bipartisan 58-1 vote.
In a sign that many lawmakers are frustrated by the role played by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in
drug pricing, Rep. Scott (R-GA) tried to amend the NDAA to prohibit the Pentagon from contracting with
any of the three largest ones, which control upwards of 80% of the market. He withdrew the amendment
because the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scored it as costing more money than is currently spent.
However, he promised that some version of this amendment will again appear when the bill hits the House
floor.
Below are provisions supported by The American Legion that were included in the HASC markup:
• Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) removed from calculating a service member’s Basic Needs Allowance
(BNA) needs. [sec. 601]
• Extending the period of eligibility for TRICARE Reserve Select for survivors of a member of the selected
reserve from six months to three years. [sec. 7xx by Rep. Courtney (D-CT)]
• Creation of a grant program to increase collaboration between DoD and Israel on PTSD research. [sec. xxx
by Rep. Waltz (R-FL)]
The SASC is expected to finish its work this week.
On Wednesday, the House voted to approve two veterans-related bills:
• S. 30, FY23 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act; and
• HR 3672, designating the VA clinic in Indian River, Michigan, as the Pfc. Justin T. Paton VA Clinic.
Having passed the Senate on March 21, S. 30 now goes to the President for his signature.
HOUSE COMMITTEE OKS BILL THAT BOOSTS
DISABILITY PAY FOR MANY MEDICALLY RETIRED
VETERANS
Some 50,000 medically retired veterans would receive increased service-related payments under a bill
advanced Wednesday for a House vote by the chamber’s Armed Services Committee.
The Major Richard Star Act would allow veterans medically retired from the military for combat-related
injuries before serving 20 years to receive full retirement pay and disability compensation from the
Department of Veterans Affairs. The measure was passed by the House Armed Services Committee by
unanimous voice vote just before the committee took up the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense
Authorization Act, the annual bill that sets Congress' policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 23, 2023
Under current law, veterans who are medically retired for service-related injuries before 20 years and
received a less than 50% disability rating from the VA are forced to forfeit a portion of their benefits. The
Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit advocacy group, estimated those dollar-for-dollar offsets between
military retirement pay and VA disability payments could cost a veteran at least “hundreds of dollars” every
month.
The Major Richard Star Act would allow all medically retired service members who receive Combat
Related Special Compensation — VA benefits for those specifically injured in combat — to collect their
full disability benefits and retirement pay.
But lawmakers warned new budget caps passed as part of a debt limit deal enacted this month could keep
the bill from being passed. Because of the spending caps imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023,
some $8 billion must be removed from spending plans for the Star Act to be approved, said Rep. Adam
Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the committee, said he would work with the other committee
members on finding such a spending offset.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., said the bill’s advancement was a step closer to rectifying “an injustice that
keeps combat disabled veterans from receiving full military benefits.” Bilirakis earlier this year introduced
the bill, which he said had 324 co-sponsors.
“The brave men and women who return from serving our country should be able to receive the benefits
promised to them,” Bilirakis said. “Military retirement pay and service-connected disability compensation
are two completely different benefits. One does not diminish the merits of the other.”
The bill is named for Maj. Richard Star, an Army veteran, father and husband who was medically retired
after suffering combat injuries, according to Bilirakis’ office. Star died in 2021 of cancer linked to toxic
exposure from burn pits on deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Wounded Warrior Project and other veterans organizations have championed the bill for more than two
years. The bill also has been introduced in the Senate, where it has 66 co-sponsors. It was not clear
Wednesday, however, when or if the bill would be considered by the upper chamber.
Wounded Warrior Project “strongly believes that collecting both benefits should never be considered
‘double dipping,’ and no retiree should be subject to the offset,” according to the organization’s fact sheet
on the bill. “For this reason, WWP will continue to support legislation to eliminate the offset for all retirees
and considers the Major Richard Star Act one step towards achieving that goal.”
The American Legion supports the Major Richard Star Act and has encouraged its members to contact
Congress in support of the legislation.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 23, 2023
APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS
The House Appropriations Committee (HAC) met Thursday morning to mark up the Defense spending bill.
The Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) kicked off its spending bill markups on Thursday, with the
Military Construction/Veterans Affairs bill.
SAC chair Sen. Murray (D-WA) emphasized the importance of returning to “normal order” to get the
appropriations bills passed on time. She questioned the inclusion of policy riders on the House side that
have nothing to do with the bills themselves. These riders are being included on all of the HAC bills, and
are unlikely to be included in the final compromise versions passed by the full Congress. During the HAC
markups, Democrats also questioned the Republicans’ policy riders.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
Tynetta Runnels, Texas
This week, we are excited to recognize Tynetta Runnels from the Department of Texas meeting with the
office of Rep. Crockett (D-TX) to discuss veterans’ legislation. Specifically, Rep. Crockett is working on
expanding national cemeteries, which The American Legion supports.
Thank you, Ms. Runnels!
Tynetta Runnels and Legionnaires meet with Rep. Crockett's (D-TX) staff.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 23, 2023
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
UPCOMING HEARINGS
There are no hearings next week.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 16, 2023
LEGION TESTIFIES ON VETERANS’ EDUCATION,
HOMELESS ISSUES
American Legion employment and education policy
associate Ricardo Gomez testified before the House
Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) Subcommittee on
Economic Opportunity on June 14.
Gomez addressed the impact of school closures on veterans,
including their access to academic transcripts in the wake of
abrupt school closures. Gomez will also testify in support of
the Housing Our Military Veterans Effectively Act, which
seeks to grant the VA funds to improve flexibility in
assisting homeless veterans.
You can watch the hearing by clicking the link here.
CONGRESS
The House Appropriations Committee (HAC) re-started marking up its FY24 bills this week amid acrimony
and controversy over spending limits. The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) set aside the debt ceiling for
two years in exchange for an agreement to set federal spending in FY24 at FY23 levels.
However, on Monday, HAC chair Rep. Granger (R-TX) released a statement that she considers the FRA
agreement to be a ceiling for the FY24 bills. Therefore, she decided to mark up appropriations bills that
limit new spending to the FY22 topline levels. The goal, she said, is to keep total spending 1% lower than
if the government were operating under a continuing resolution (which would retain FY23 levels).
Democrats loudly protested this abrogates the FRA agreement. HAC ranking member Rep. DeLauro (D-
CT) told reporters on Tuesday this “all but guarantees a shutdown” of the federal government.
Things came to a head Wednesday evening when the HAC tried to vote on subcommittee allocations (they
had already marked up and voted on some bills, including the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs one).
Rep. Hoyer (D-MD) protested marking up to FY22 levels, asking “you think any of us would have made a
deal if we thought your ’22 number” was the end result. The committee abruptly adjourned until early
Thursday morning.
There is clearly tension in the committee across Party lines, beyond just the spending levels. Several
Conservative priorities are included in the bills released so far.
Employment and Education Policy Analyst
Ricardo Gomez testifies before the House
Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on
Economic Opportunity.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 16, 2023
All of these provisions are, primarily, about sending a message rather than accomplishing much of anything.
Some will not make it through the Senate. Others do not have real authority behind them. For example,
prohibiting the VA from spending money on the display of the Pride flag does not prevent the Department
from accepting a donated flag that is hung by volunteers.
NEXT WEEK IN CONGRESS
The House Armed Services Committee will hold a marathon markup of its FY24 NDAA next Wednesday.
They are scheduled to start at 10am, and are expected to go into the night. In previous years, this event often
ends in the wee hours of the next day, having gone as long as six the next morning.
The SASC will also be marking up its FY24 NDAA. Only the Personnel Subcommittee markup will be
held in open session. The rest of the subcommittees and the full committee will mark up behind closed
doors. While the HASC releases its materials in real time (and has already released its full mark), the SASC
holds back until the final bill is filed with the Senate before going to the floor.
The HAC is also expected to mark up its FY24 Defense spending bill next week.
MILITARY PAY OVERHAUL COULD MEAN HUGE PAY
BOOSTS FOR ENLISTED TROOPS
Original Article: Here (Military Times)
Junior enlisted troops could see their monthly pay boosted by up to 35% next year under a massive rewrite
of the military’s pay tables proposed under a House Republican defense appropriations plan released
Wednesday.
The move would guarantee that even the lowest-ranking service members would make at least $31,000
annually in base pay — roughly equivalent to a $15-an-hour wage. Troops also receive other financial
compensation in the form of housing stipends, free health care coverage and food stipends.
The proposal — which still has to survive numerous rounds of negotiations on Capitol Hill — comes in
direct response to concerns that thousands of military families are living at or below the federal poverty
line, struggling to keep up with rising inflation costs.
But other junior enlisted troops would benefit from the plan as well. Most troops ranked E-5 and below
would see boosts under the budget plan. An E-3 with three years service would see his or her annual salary
jump from just under $31,000 to more than $35,000 under the plan. An E-4 with six years in service would
see annual pay go from about $36,500 to $38,500.
But other junior enlisted troops would benefit from the plan as well. Most troops ranked E-5 and below
would see boosts under the budget plan. An E-3 with three years service would see his or her annual salary
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 16, 2023
jump from just under $31,000 to more than $35,000 under the plan. An E-4 with six years in service would
see annual pay go from about $36,500 to $38,500.
Junior enlisted pay has been a major focus of lawmakers in recent years. As many as 22,000 active-duty
military service members and their families qualify for federal food assistance, earning so little that they
are at or below the federal poverty line, according to past government studies.
Last week, lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee unveiled plans for monthly bonus pay for
troops rank E-6 and below next year, to be awarded “as economic conditions dictate.” The exact amounts
would be determined by Pentagon officials after passage of the legislation.
Overhauling the military pay tables could minimize the need for those bonuses. Under the appropriations
proposal, troops ranked E-1 with at least four months service would see their yearly basic pay increased by
more than $8,000 under the changes, a huge financial boon for those families.
Last week, lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee unveiled plans for monthly bonus pay for
troops rank E-6 and below next year, to be awarded “as economic conditions dictate.” The exact amounts
would be determined by Pentagon officials after passage of the legislation.
Overhauling the military pay tables could minimize the need for those bonuses. Under the appropriations
proposal, troops ranked E-1 with at least four months service would see their yearly basic pay increased by
more than $8,000 under the changes, a huge financial boon for those families.
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE WEEK
In an effort to recognize the weekly accomplishments of our Legionnaires, we will spotlight an individual
every week. These individuals demonstrate exceptional grassroots activism by meeting with/contacting
their Congressional Representative/Senator to advocate for veterans. Efforts like these truly make a
difference and give veterans a voice in Congress.
John Hacker, North Carolina
This week, we are excited to recognize John
Hacker from the Department of North
Carolina for presenting about The American
Legion’s “Be the One” campaign at a
conference in Raleigh with the Rotary
Foundation and local veteran service
organizations (VSOs). He reported that many
people were unaware of the severity of
veteran suicide.
Thank you, Mr. Hacker!
John Hacker spreading awareness of veteran suicide in
Raleigh, North Carolina.
National Legislative Division Weekly
June 16, 2023
If you have made a grassroots effort and would like to be considered for next week’s “Legionnaire of the
Week,” please fill out the Congressional Contact Report Form here. You can also email me at
UPCOMING HEARINGS
• On Tuesday, June 20, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization
will hold a hearing titled “The Status of VA Financial Management Business Transformation.”
• On Wednesday, June 21, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) will hold a markup hearing
of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
• On Wednesday, June 21, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health will hold a
legislative hearing. The American Legion will be testifying; you can watch it here.
• On Wednesday, June 21, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel will hold a
business meeting to markup those provisions which fall under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the
proposed National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year (FY) 2024.
• On Wednesday, June 21, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee will hold a hearing to examine
the effectiveness of the Office of Integrated Veteran Care.
• On Thursday, June 22, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee will have a member day.
• On Thursday, June 22, the Senate Appropriations Committee will have a business meeting to
consider the appropriation bills for FY 24. National Legislative Division Weekly
National Legislative Division Weekly
2023 American Legion Washington Conference
Sons of The American Legion Memorial Wreath Laying Schedule
Meet at: Washington Hilton Hotel
1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC, 20009
At 9:00 AM receive Tickets for Lunch, Bus seat, Tram tickets by Detachment
At 9:00 am SAL National Commander Chris Carlton will address attendees.
Pictures of Wreaths with SAL National Commander Chris Carlton can be taken between
9:15 and 9:30 am.
Board Busses and load Wreaths at 9:30 am
Depart: Bus will leave from lower level of hotel promptly at 9:30 am, Sunday February 26,
2023
Leave Washington Hilton at 9:30 am
Arrive at Arlington National Cemetery at 9:50 am
1. Tour of Tomb Guards Quarters if available
2. Group photograph of all participants
3. Prayer by National Chaplain
4. Wreath laying Ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier 11:15 am
5. Depart the Arlington National Cemetery at 12:30 pm
Arrive at Vietnam Wall Memorial at 12:45 pm
1. Lunch
2. Group photograph of all participants
3. Wreath laying ceremony by National Commander at the Vietnam Wall Memorial with prayer by
National Chaplain
1. Depart the Vietnam Wall Memorial at 2:00 pm
Arrive at the World War II Memorial at 2:30 pm
1. Group photograph of all participants with Detachment wreath placement with National
Commander
2. Wreath laying ceremony by National Commander at the WWII Memorial with prayer by National
Chaplain
3. Depart the World War II Memorial at 3:30 pm
Arrival: Washington Hilton Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC, 20009 @4:00 pm