Lawmakers have been busy early in the first session of the 115th Congress, introducing almost 200 bills to help veterans. Lawmakers' increased focus on veterans continues an upward trend since 2001.
Anyone keeping up with what's going on in the VA will tell you it has been a bumpy ride for the department since 9/11. Fast forward to 2014, when news of hidden wait lists at the Phoenix, Ariz., VA medical center broke in the media.
Reports surrounding the Phoenix scandal, coupled with rising veteran suicide rates, investigations of VA employee misconduct, claims appeal backlogs, and other issues continue to plague the VA. The department remains in the crosshairs of the administration and Congress, both aiming to fix and reform the agency.
“The good news is all this attention has brought to light the very issues we veterans and veterans service organizations have been talking about for decades,” says MOAA's Director of Government Relations for VA Health Care Cmdr. René Campos, USN (Ret).
“It gives us an opportunity to make real and lasting change, perhaps more so today than at any other time in history,” Campos says.
Lawmakers have enthusiastically pushed out veteran-centric legislation in recent years.
While not all bills become law, the sheer activity on Capitol Hill indicates a very engaged Congress and administration. It shows elected officials are working hard on behalf of veterans to address their issues.
MOAA anticipates this flurry of activity will continue through the remainder of this year. There is much more work ahead to reform and modernize the VA, as outlined in reports from the Government Accountability Office, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, and the VA's Commission on Care.
Though the work will not be easy, our troops and veterans and their families deserve our full attention to get meaningful legislation passed.
As one lawmaker recently stated, “We must do everything we can to help - as careful protectors of our national treasure, veterans should have what they need when they need it. It is up to us [Congress] to find the money to do so.”
It is up to MOAA and our members to help Congress in this important mission. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help in MOAA's important advocacy efforts.
