Legislative Testimony
Sep 10, 2014 Zach Hearn, Deputy Director for Claims
Cases Languish and Data Manipulated at the Board of Veterans Appeals
Aug 14, 2014 Tim Jurgens, American Legion Department of South Dakota Commander
Provision of Care to Veterans in Rural South Dakota Through the Department of Veterans Affairs Black Hills Healthcare System Hot Springs Campus
Jul 24, 2014 Verna Jones, Director, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division
Restoring Trust: The View of the Acting Secretary and the Veterans Community
Jun 05, 2014 Ian de Planque, Deputy Director, Legislative
Pending Legislation
May 29, 2014 Gerardo Avila, National MEB/PEB Representative
Defined Expectations: Evaluating VA's Performance in the Servicemember Transition Process
May 15, 2014 Daniel M. Dellinger, National Commander
Commander Dellinger's testimony on The State Of VA Health care
Apr 09, 2014 Daniel M. Dellinger, National Commander
A Continued Assessment of Delays in VA Medical Care and Preventable Veteran Deaths
Mar 26, 2014 Zachary Hearn, Deputy Director for Claims, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division
Pending Legislation
Mar 25, 2014 Steve Gonzalez, Assistant director of The American Legion's Veterans Education & Employment Division
Pending Legislation
Mar 25, 2014 Davy Leghorn, Assistant director of The American Legion's Veteran Education & Employment Division
Pending Legislation
Mar 13, 2014 The American Legion, Official Statement
Department of Veterans Affairs Fiscal Years 2015/2016 Budget Request
Feb 05, 2014 Zach Hearn, Deputy Director for Claims, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division
“Beyond Transformation: Reviewing Current Status And Secondary Effects Of Vba Technology”
Jan 15, 2014 Roscoe Butler, Assistant Director for Health Care
“Vendors in the OR – VA’s Failed Oversight og Surgical Implants”
Legislative Priority Sheet 02-15-2013February 15, 2013 The Current American Legion Legislative Policy Priorities in the 113th Congress Protecting Veterans and DOD from the harmful cuts imposed through sequestration. The American Legion recognizes and supports the need for a fiscally responsible government, and looks forward to working with the new Congress to develop deficit reducing strategies that do not degrade the nation’s ability to defend itself, or further assault the earned benefits currently being received by our nation’s military veterans (HR55). Military Sexual Trauma. The American Legion encourages Congress to pass legislation in order to ensure reporting, tracking, and actions taken upon incidents of sexual assaults at all VA facilities. Furthermore, The American Legion urges the DOD to improve their investigation and prosecution of reported cases of Military Sexual Trauma. The underreporting of MST in the military must be examined and DOD must permanently maintain the records necessary for victims to prove service connection for any later disabilities resulting from events in service. Oppose any further increases in TRICARE fees, including prescription drug fees. The American Legion stands strong against those who would dilute the promises made in the contract with those who serve in our nation’s defense. We strongly oppose any proposed degradation of the health care promised to retired service members when they enlisted through increases in fees for TRICARE For Life, increases in pharmacy co-pays or any further breaches of the contract of trust between this nation and those who have defended it. Stolen Valor Act. In United States v. Alvarez the Supreme Court ruled the 2005 Stolen Valor Act was unconstitutional, yet left the door open for a more carefully tailored law to criminalize profiting from lies about military service. The American Legion supports legislation to restore the criminality of lying about military service and received decorations (HR258/S210). Claims Backlog. America’s veterans deserve better than a disability claims system mired in delays and backlogs, where over 69% of claims are delayed over VA’s target of 125 days to complete. The American Legion believes VA can only change the bureaucratic culture causing these delays by implementing a work credit system that places as much incentive on getting a claim done right the first time as it does on the raw volume of claims processed. Disabled Veterans Tax/Widows Tax. VA disability compensation should not be offset from military retired pay regardless of the VA rating percentage, nor should VA survivor benefits (DIC) from military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities. The American Legion supports legislation that would completely repeal these unjust offsets (HR333/HR303/HR32). DOL-VETS and TAP. The VETS program should be kept in its rightful place within DOL. DVOPs and LVERs should be solely focused on getting veteran’s jobs. Congress has already passed legislation to improve the Transition Assistance Program, but DOD is improperly executing it. The America Legion looks forward to working with Congress to ensure that TAP offers the services and information necessary for transitioning service members and veterans. Small Business Verification. Businesses owned by veterans have earned the right to compete fairly through federal procurement. The American Legion calls on Congress to ensure that the federal government makes its 3% procurement goal for the first time in history, and demands that VA address and repair the current small business verification program. End Veteran Homelessness. The American Legion strongly supports the Administration’s goal of eliminating veterans homeless-ness by 2015 and calls on Congress to pledge whatever resources are necessary to accomplish this goal, to include medical, rehabilitative and employment assistance to homeless veterans and their families (S62/HR385). Quality Education through Post 9/11 GI Bill. As one of the founding authors of the original GI Bill, The American Legion wants to protect our veterans with oversight that include provisions to evaluate post-secondary education institutions on quality factors such as accreditation, transferability, cost, graduation rates, and acceptance in the job market. State Approving Agencies should be returned their original power to protect the GI Bill along with adequate funding to execute their mandate. Student-veterans should be allowed in-state tuition rates regardless of residency status (HR357/S257). Military to Civilian Credentialing. DOD spends a lot of money training our military. The skills learned need to directly translate to their civilian equivalent, and seamless certification is long overdue. The American Flag. The American Legion remains committed to protecting Old Glory, and continues to support legislation that safeguards our nation’s flag from physical desecration (HJRES19)
