Martha Roby to VA official: Somebody needs to feel the urgency
It’s time the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) feels a sense of urgency regarding improving veterans’ health care services. That was Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby‘s message to the VA on Wednesday. “My frustration here is that there does not seem to be an urgency. Meanwhile, we have veterans who are suffering,” Roby said during a Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee in a hearing regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ electronic health record modernization. Roby, who has long been a vocal advocate for improving veterans’ health care services, highlighted the problems veterans in Central Alabama face when outside medical care providers have difficulty accessing their medical records and asked the hearing witnesses how the VA will improve the process of exchanging this information for outside providers. “How is the VA going to handle the exchange of health record information when we are utilizing outside providers?,” she asked. “This has been a huge issue in Central Alabama. Not only do we not have sufficient personnel to handle caring for the veteran within the VA, but we are also having a hard time recruiting outside providers because the VA constantly make it difficult to exchange medical records. Roby concluded, “If we are pushing our veterans to community care because we do not have the services inside the VA, then somebody needs to feel the urgency to get this done.” Watch Roby below: The full text of Roby’s remarks below. Thank you all for being here today. I think we can all agree that we’re here to make sure veterans are getting access to the best care we can give them in a timely fashion, and one of the issues veterans face when they go into the VA is that there may not be services offered in that brick and mortar facility to support the care they need. So, we use non-VA, outside providers to treat our veterans. As we are having this discussion about medical records, I’d like to ask: How is the VA going to handle the exchange of health record information when we are utilizing outside providers? This has been a huge problem in VISN 7, in the Central Alabama VA Health System. Not only do we not have sufficient personnel to handle caring for the veteran within the brick and mortar VA, but we are also having a hard time recruiting outside providers. They want to serve the veteran, and they want to provide medical care, but the VA constantly makes it difficult for the provider, and part of that deals with the exchange of medical records. I want to know how that issue fits into this equation. How are you going to make it easier, through data sharing, for the outside providers to integrate? The reality is, particularly in mental health care, the VA does not have the specialists necessary to care for veterans. When we have a veteran that we cannot care for inside the VA and we send them out into the community, there is a huge responsibility for those outside providers to communicate as it relates to the medical record itself. There is a lot of frustration from these outside providers that want to be community partners. This medical record exchange issue is a roadblock to their ability to provide the outside care. My frustration here is that there does not seem to be an urgency. I understand these things take time, but meanwhile, we have veterans who are suffering and not receiving the care they need. That is why I bring up the issue of outside providers and medical records. If we are pushing our veterans to community care because we don’t have the services inside the VA, then somebody has to feel the urgency to get this done.
Bradley Byrne: Supporting our military, repaying our veterans
One of the highest honors from my time in Congress has been the many interactions I’ve had with members of our nation’s armed forces and our veterans. Throughout the long history of the United States, countless Americans have served our country honorably in the military. Many made the ultimate sacrifice. There is no greater way to say “thank you” to our fighting men and women and our veterans than by ensuring they are taken care of both during and after their service, with the most up-to-date weapons systems and funding to carry out their missions, and with commonsense solutions to veterans issues. I am proud to once again serve on the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, and Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. These are two important roles that directly impact the state of Alabama and our country. My work on the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee is important to the 4,000 people working at Austal shipyard in Southwest Alabama and the 2,000 Alabamians who work at Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi. These two shipyards are crucial to the U.S. Navy’s goal of a 355-ship fleet. My work on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee is crucial for Alabama as many of the missile defense systems are designed and built in places like Huntsville and Troy. Having of a strong missile defense program is obviously vital to the security of our entire nation. Not only is it necessary to take care of our service members while they are on active duty, but it is our responsibility to care for our veterans as well. A career of service never ends for members of the armed forces, and we cannot fail them. One of the ways I am continuing to advocate for our veterans is by supporting policies that will get them the benefits they deserve. For example, I am proud to support the Retired Pay Restoration Act to ensure all military retirees with service-connected disabilities get their military retirement and disability payments concurrently. Currently, veterans with under a 50% service-connected disability rating have their disability pay deducted from their retirement pay, even though they are completely different benefits. I will continue to fight for this legislation until our veterans get all of their disability and retirement compensation. I continue to fight for veterans who were exposed to the toxic herbicide, Agent Orange, during the Vietnam War. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act allows the thousands of veterans of the Vietnam War who served in “blue-water” Navy posts off Vietnam’s shoreline to receive benefits for this service connected disability. And last Wednesday, I joined 20 of my colleagues in sending a letter to the Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery and the Secretary of the Army to allow American flags to be carried by visitors in Arlington Cemetery. It only makes sense that in one of the most sacred places in the United States Americans should be able to represent their patriotism openly and clearly through the display of an American flag. It is just a small way we can express our gratitude for those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom our flag represents. Ensuring our service members can adequately defend and protect our nation both at home and abroad, taking care of our veterans, and honoring those who have given their all is the least we can do as Americans. Alabama’s role in the defense of our nation, both past and present, is something we should all take immense pride in, and I am glad to know that our great state is paving the way for a safer world and a stronger America. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Personnel Note: Retired Rear Admiral Kent Davis named head of Alabama VA
On Thursday, Governor Kay Ivey announced her selection of Alabama native Rear Admiral W. Kent Davis as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs. On January 4, the State Board of Veterans Affairs voted on this selection before today’s official offer. In a press release, Ivey said “After serving his country in multiple branches of the military over the course of his distinguished career, Adm. Davis has proven himself as an excellent selection to serve as the next commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs. I commend the hard work of the State Board of Veterans Affairs Search Committee for recommending our next VA leader. I know that Adm. Davis will take his broad spectrum of experience and apply it well to help the honorable men and women of Alabama who have so proudly served in uniform.” According to the press release, Adm. Davis served in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy in active duty but, in his 30 years in uniform and 11 years of active duty, has experience with all military services. Adm. Davis, it says “Adm. Davis is one of only a few people who has served both as a field grade officer in the Army and a senior officer in the Navy.” In addition, he has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Louisiana State University and his law degree from Georgia State University. AL.com reports that Adm. Davis began his career as an officer aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in 1986 and retired from the Navy in October of 2016. He has also worked as city manager for Anniston, deputy superintendent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP)in Anniston, director of public affairs for U.S. detention operations in Afghanistan. He is currently chief communication officer at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. In the press release, Adm. Davis was quoted as saying, “I look forward to continuing to serve my country as the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs. As a veteran myself, I understand the importance of providing help to the hundreds of thousands of Alabamians who have served in uniform,” Adm. Davis said. “It is an honor to have been chosen for this new post. I appreciate the confidence in me shown by Governor Ivey and the State Board of Veterans Affairs. I will work hard each day to ensure the veterans of Alabama are treated with the utmost respect and granted the care they so greatly deserve.” Adm. Davis told the Anniston Star that he left his position at CDP in Anniston under pressure after trying to address serious problems. “I had to walk away from that,” Davis said. “I thought, do I stay and fight this out with all the risks, or do I walk away knowing that if I resign it ends everything?” In 2017, the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs earned national recognition for a website that improves veterans’ access to VA benefits and services.
Doug Jones introduces legislation force VA to pay student veterans missing benefits
Alabama U.S. Sen. Doug Jones taking action in hopes of righting yet another wrong made by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). On Tuesday, he joined his colleague Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) in introducing legislation that would force the VA to pay an estimated 360,000 veterans benefits that were overlooked due to technical errors. Money, Jones says the veterans are entitled to, but did not receive because of the VA’s own error. When the VA failed to implement the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, many student veterans did not receive the full benefits they are entitled to. The bipartisan Fix Immediately Outstanding Underpayments for Student Veterans Act would establish a VA commission at the VA to audit monthly stipends to student veterans and force the VA to pay back students who have been underpaid.Additionally this legislation will ensure the VA does not take back money from students they overpaid through their error. “When young men and women step up to serve our country in uniform, we make a solemn promise to have their backs when they come home,” said Jones. “We commit to provide them the tools needed to re-enter civilian life and to earn an education that will enable them to serve our communities in new ways. When I heard that thousands of veterans in Alabama and across the country were being underpaid – or not paid at all – for their GI Bill benefits and that the VA might not make them whole, I was appalled. While I’m glad the VA has since begun to reverse course, action from Congress is needed to make sure that these veterans receive what they’re owed.” Gardner believes VA is failing students by not providing a plan to pay them back the missing money quickly. “The VA let these veterans down and this cannot be tolerated,” added Gardner. “First, the VA made a mistake and did not properly pay student veterans the money they are entitled to; and now the VA is failing in their responsibility again by not providing a plan to pay those students back quickly. Most problems Congress addresses are complicated and do not have one ‘right’ answer. This is not one of those issues. To me, it’s pretty clear what the right thing to do is: Congress must act to ensure our student veterans receive every penny they are entitled to.” Last Friday, Jones sent a letter to the senior VA leader overseeing GI Bill benefits seeking answers from the VA about the situation. Jones also joined his colleagues last week in a bipartisan letter, led by Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), calling on the VA Inspector General to launch an investigation into allegations that the VA would not be reimbursing veterans for any missed or underpaid benefits. Read Jones’ letter below:
Bradley Byrne: Words cannot express our gratitude
One hundred years ago, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the world’s largest, deadliest, and costliest war to that date drew to an end. The guns that boomed over field and forest in Europe fell silent. World War I was over. Over 116,000 Americans had lost their lives. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson issued a statement to the nation in celebration of the first Armistice Day, expressing his thoughts on the war’s end: “To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.” In 1938, twenty years after the Armistice, Congress formally recognized Armistice Day as a national holiday “dedicated to the cause of world peace.” Unfortunately, the “war to end all wars” was only the precursor to an even deadlier, costlier war. The next year, World War II broke out across Europe, a war that would cost the lives of over 400,000 American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. For a particular Alabamian and veteran of WWII, the celebration of Armistice Day was not quite recognition enough for the service and sacrifice of veterans who had served, not just in WWI, but for all those who had worn the uniform of our nation. Raymond Meeks, a native of Birmingham, brought the idea of a national Veterans Day, to be held on what was then Armistice Day, to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Gen. Eisenhower greatly supported this idea, and in 1947 Weeks led the first national celebration of Veterans Day right here in Alabama. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed into law the formal celebration of Veterans Day here in the United States, dedicated to the memory of all those who served our country in the armed forces. To this day, words cannot express our gratitude for that service. Today, as I serve in Congress, it is an incredible honor to know that I am able to represent a free people thanks to the service, dedication, and sacrifice of our veterans. That is why I advocate so strongly for our nation’s veterans. We need to provide them with proper access to educational and workforce opportunities, we must work towards a health care system that actually gets them the care they need, and we must help them get the benefits they earned. Just this year, I voted to provide greater funding for programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), positive reforms to the G.I. Bill, and better access to career and technical education for veterans to reenter the civilian workforce. Additionally, my office has helped to resolve hundreds of cases for veterans and their families right here in Southwest Alabama. Service in the military is so much more than just a job. It is a dedication to support and defend the Constitution and the people of the United States, both at home and abroad. That service is immeasurable, and I am humbled to represent so many of those who have fought for our freedoms. The words of President Eisenhower on the first official Veterans Day stand as a charge for today: “Let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting and enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.” • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Carol Gundlach: Protect SNAP to help thousands of Alabama veterans make ends meet
Alabamians, like all Americans, take time on Veterans Day each year to honor those who have served our country and sacrificed to keep all of us free. But we should treat this holiday as more than a chance to say “thank you.” It also should be an occasion to reflect on our national obligation to provide veterans with the services and support they need to return to civilian life with dignity and security. The unfortunate reality is that many people who served in our military struggle with hunger after they return home. About 26,000 Alabama veterans, or 8 percent of all veterans in the state, use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help feed themselves and their families, according to a new study released Thursday by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C. Nationally, nearly 1.4 million veterans, representing 7 percent of all American veterans, receive assistance through SNAP, also known as food stamps. SNAP is an essential tool to help these veterans feed their families, just as it fights hunger for tens of millions of other Americans. But a U.S. House proposal threatens to take this vital food assistance away from as many as 2 million people, including tens of thousands in Alabama. The U.S. House and Senate have passed conflicting versions of the Farm Bill, the legislation that authorizes SNAP. The House version, for which six of Alabama’s seven House members voted, would impose harmful new SNAP “work requirements” that would take food away from many hungry families while doing little or nothing to help them find or keep work. Fortunately, the bipartisan Senate bill – with support from Sens. Doug Jones and Richard Shelby – offers a better path. Unlike the House approach of creating punitive new barriers to SNAP, the Senate plan would strengthen core SNAP assistance. The Senate proposal also would make needed investments in employment and training services for seniors, homeless people, people with disabilities and other SNAP participants who face additional barriers to work. Now the House and Senate must reconcile the differences between the two Farm Bills. Congress faces a choice between helping and hurting hungry people, including the veterans who could be devastated by the House version. Veterans face many barriers as they re-enter the civilian labor force. Trying to find a civilian job while still in the military can be difficult, and veterans who come home with disabilities may face additional barriers to employment. SNAP is an especially critical lifeline for families including veterans with disabilities, which are more likely to struggle to put food on the table. Young male veterans have higher rates of unemployment than do similarly situated civilian workers. While the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has programs to help these veterans gain skills and find stable employment, the VA programs are not necessarily aligned with the rigid one-size-fits-all work requirements proposed in the House Farm Bill. Should the House plan become law, many veterans would have to choose between getting the job help offered by the VA and keeping SNAP food assistance. This Veterans Day, we should thank Alabama veterans for their service by supporting SNAP, a program that helps thousands of them put food on the table. We also should urge our members of Congress to pass a final Farm Bill with the Senate’s SNAP provisions. By protecting and strengthening SNAP, Congress can take an important step toward ensuring that no veteran goes hungry after serving our country. ••• Carol Gundlach is a policy analyst for Alabama Arise, a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of congregations, organizations and individuals promoting public policies to improve the lives of low-income Alabamians. Email: carol@alarise.org.
VA data: Suicide rate for Alabama veterans up, especially for young veterans
Last month, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials released national and state-level findings from its most recent analysis of Veteran suicide data, which showed an average of two and half Alabama veterans died by suicide each week from 2015-2016. The research also revealed Alabama veterans are dying by suicide at a higher rate than the national average. The VA’s figures, which are the most recent year available, reveal 34.2 Alabama veterans per 100,000 died by suicide in 2016, whereas the national veteran suicide rate was only 30.1 per 100,000. Among their findings, 18-24 years old Alabamians committed suicide more often than any other age bracket at 52.8 per 100,000. Meanwhile only 45 per 100,000 non-veterans in the same age bracket committed suicided. In the 2016, veterans account for roughly 17 percent of all Alabama suicides. Among those suicides, an overwhelming 81.3 percent of veterans used firearms, whereas the national average for firearm use in suicide was only 51.4 percent. The analysis is part of VA’s ongoing examination of non-Veteran and Veteran death records that is being used to evaluate and improve VA’s Suicide Prevention Program. “Suicide prevention remains VA’s highest clinical priority. One life lost to suicide is one too many,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. The report also found: There were more than 6,000 Veteran suicides each year from 2008 to 2016. In 2016, the suicide rate was 1.5 times greater for Veterans than for non-Veteran adults, after adjusting for age and gender. The suicide rate for Veterans ages 18–34 increased substantially, from 40.4 suicide deaths per 100,000 population in 2015 to 45 suicide deaths per 100,000 population in 2016. After adjusting for age, in 2016, the suicide rate for women Veterans was 1.8 times greater than the suicide rate for non-Veteran women. If you are a veteran or are concerned about one, call the national Veterans Crisis Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Montgomery VA Medical Center earns 1-star facility rating, others improve
A new report from the Veterans Administration shows two Alabama VA medical centers have made some improvements in its quality of services over the past year, while another remains stagnant. As part of their efforts to remain transparent and hold VA facilities accountable, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) on Wednesday released end of fiscal year 2018 (FY2018) hospital Star ratings, which evaluate and benchmark quality of care delivery at VA medical centers (VAMCs) across the nation. In Alabama, on a 1 through 5 star scale, they rated: Birmingham: 4-star (score went up) Montgomery: 1-star (trivial change, did not improve) Tuscaloosa: 3-star (score went up) “With closer monitoring and increased medical center leadership and support we have seen solid improvements at most of our facilities,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Even our highest performing facilities are getting better, and that is driving up our quality standards across the country.” The Star rating designation is designed to help VA identify best practices of its top performing hospitals and share them across VA’s health care system to achieve system-wide improvements. “There’s no doubt that there’s still plenty of work to do, but I’m proud of our employees, who work tirelessly to move VA in the right direction for Veterans and taxpayers,” Wilkie added. Birmingham Birmingham remains a bright spot for veterans within the Alabama care system. Over the past three years it has steadily improved having received a 3-star rating in 2016, going up to a 4-star in 2017 and now pulling another 4-star with additional signs of improvement. “Providing high quality healthcare and benefits to our nations Veterans is one of our most fundamental obligations,” said Rep. Terri Sewell. “I’m proud of the tireless work that VA professionals are doing in Birmingham to save lives and improve healthcare quality standards for our Veterans and service members. Here in Congress, I have supported VA reforms like the Veterans’ Access, Choice and Accountability Act, a bill which allowed Veterans to receive care from private doctors when there’s a backlog and which increases accountability and transparency within the VA. I also introduced and helped pass a VA hiring amendment that encouraged the VA Secretary to select eligible employees for its fellowship program who represent rural areas. I’ve visited the Birmingham VA and met with the staff there, which is why I am not surprised to learn that they have maintained their 4-star rating. Our fight to provide Veterans across Alabama with timely and responsive access to quality care is far from over, and I applaud the Birmingham VA medical center on the strides it has made.” Montgomery In 2015, the director of the Central Alabama Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHCS), or Montgomery VA, was removed from his post when a pattern of gross mismanagement and systemic malfeasance was exposed. Weeks later he became the first VA official in the country fired under our new VA accountability law. Since that time the Montgomery VA has been under a federal microscope and was making many improvements. However, after improving from 2015 to 2017 and receiving a 3-star rating for two years in a row, the state’s capital city VA hospital dropped to a 1-star, out of 5, in 2018. Someone who has been working hard to hold the Montgomery VA accountable and improve their service is Alabama 2nd District Rep. Martha Roby. She calls the newly released rating “unacceptable.” “The news that the Central Alabama VA has dropped from a 3-star rating to a 1-star rating is completely unacceptable,” Roby told Alabama Today. “Our veterans represent the very best of this country, and it is incumbent upon us to ensure they receive the best possible care we can provide. Significant work is needed to achieve this goal. She continued, “I have been and will remain actively engaged with CAVHCS Director Dr. Linda Boyle and other VA leadership to improve care for our veterans so that it is easily accessible and of the highest quality. As always, I encourage veterans in Alabama’s Second District to contact my office with problems related to VA casework. I am deeply disappointed in this rating, and my top priority continues to be that we treat our veterans properly.” Rating methodology The VA uses a comprehensive performance improvement tool called Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) that includes key metrics used by the private sector as well as additional metrics that are important for addressing access to care, quality of mental health care, employee perception about the organization, nursing turnover, efficiency and capacity. The metrics are organized into 9 Quality domains and one Efficiency and Capacity domain. The Quality domains are combined to represent overall Quality. Each VA medical center is assessed for overall Quality from two perspectives: Relative Performance compared to other VA medical centers using a Star rating system from 1 to 5. Improvement compared to its own performance from the past year. Both relative performance and size of improvement are used to guide improve efforts.
VA announces grant for Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Association (NCA) on Wednesday announced it has awarded the state of Alabama a grant in the amount of $274,393 for the expansion and improvement of the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort. “Our state and tribal partners are critical in helping NCA achieve our strategic goal of providing 95 percent of the Veteran population with convenient access to a burial option within 75 miles of the home,” said Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves. “We look forward to continuing to work with states like Alabama and provide grants that reflect the needs, resources and preferences of the local Veteran community.” The grant will fund the construction of 430 in-ground cremains gravesite, a memorial wall containing 100 plaques, widened cortege lane, landscape, irrigation and supporting infrastructure. The project will develop approximately 0.5 acres and provide continued service for approximately 56,000 Veterans, spouses and eligible family members. “Great news! The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $274,000 grant for the expansion and improvements to the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort,” Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne posted on Facebook of the news. “This is excellent news for our local veterans and the entire community.” The closest national or state Veterans cemetery to Spanish Fort is Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Fla. approximately 57 miles away.
Alabama delegation votes to pass major VA overhaul; Trump expected to sign into law
With the support of the entire Alabama delegation, S. 2372: the VA MISSION Act of 2018 has passed both chambers and is now heading to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature. The legislation – which puts the needs of veterans first by giving them the option of seeking care when and where it makes the most sense for their needs – combines provisions from fifteen different Senate-introduced bills, building upon the success of the Veterans Choice Act. The bill combines the VA’s multiple community care programs into one streamlined program, improves incentives to recruit, hire, and retain qualified medical professionals, and expands the VA’s Post-9/11 Caregiver Program to all eras. Dozens of veterans and military service organizations across the country endorsed the bill. Here’s what the Alabama delegation had to say about their votes and the legislation: Sen. Richard Shelby I am honored to support this milestone legislation that prioritizes brave veterans in Alabama and across the nation. This bicameral, bipartisan bill provides veterans with necessary access to efficient, timely, and quality health care services. As Members of Congress, it is our job to ensure the proper care of those who have risked their lives to protect our freedoms. 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne: Another major piece of legislation is headed to President Trump’s desk for his signature. The VA MISSION Act consolidates the VA’s Community Care Program, opens the VA Caregivers Program to serve all veterans, and provides $5.2 billion to fund the VA Choice Program. Simply put, this bill increases access to care at the VA, including walk-in clinics that may be more convenient and immediate in addressing the needs of our veterans. 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby: By passing the VA MISSION Act, the House has taken another important step toward improving access to care for our nation’s veterans. This legislation addresses a number of important pieces of the large VA puzzle, including extending funding for the Choice Program that countless veterans depend on to receive care. I believe this bill will reduce the bureaucracy associated with veterans seeking private sector health care and improve the lives of those who have served our great country. I’ve heard from countless veterans in Alabama’s Second District about the continued need for VA changes to ensure they get the best care available. I hope we will soon see this legislation signed into law.
Kay Ivey signs five bills focusing on military, veterans, and their families
Governor Kay Ivey signed four bills — House Bills 58, 83, 88 and 92 — supporting veterans and the military during a bill signing ceremony at the state capitol Monday. Earlier this month at Maxwell Air Force Base, she also signed into law House Bill 388, the Military Family Jobs Opportunity Act. “Throughout my career, I have advocated for our service men and women, and I will continue to do all I can as governor to offer my support to those who have given us so much,” Ivey said. “Alabamians are steadfast in their support for the military, and I am proud to strengthen Alabama’s bond with the military through these five bills I have signed into law.” Parks for Patriots Bill HB 58, grants free admission to active or retired service members, who are Alabama residents, to state parks operated by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. An appropriate active or retired military identification card, a driver’s license with a military veteran designation, a valid Department of Defense Form or any other documentation prescribed by law or administrative rule must be shown to obtain free admission. In November 2017, Ivey announced that entry into Alabama’s State Parks was free for all veterans. At that time, Rep. Dickie Drake said he planned to file a bill in the 2018 Regular Session that would permanently codify Ivey’s Parks for Patriots plan into law. “I am so proud to have sponsored a bill that allows veterans and current military to have free admission to Alabama State Parks,” Drake said. “With Memorial Day close at hand, this should be something nice for our Veterans and our military who have given so much and make so many sacrifices; we can never fully repay them!” Veterans Employment Act and Competitive Bidding for Vets Bills Ivey also signed HB 83, the Veterans Employment Act and HB 88, which gives preference in competitive bids on state government contracts to businesses owned by veterans. Drake also sponsored HB 88. Meanwhile, Rep. Connie Rowe sponsored the Veterans Employment Act, which gives a tax credit to small businesses that hire unemployed veterans. “This was an opportunity to help both our veterans and small businesses at the same time. Incentivizing the hiring and retention of our military veterans by Alabama small businesses allows us to acknowledge their service and provide them with more job opportunities,” explained Rowe.. “Small businesses will benefit, not only by qualifying for the tax incentive, but also by bringing employees into their businesses with the admirable traits and skills acquired during military training and service. It’s a win-win piece of legislation.” Windshield placards for vets HB 92, sponsored by Rep. Barry Moore, allows a person who meets the military service and award requirements to be issued a windshield placard displaying an appropriate military honor or veteran status. The placard will permit parking in designated military parking places. The bill makes it unlawful for a person to park in these designated military places without distinctive placard. “In our great nation, we recognize that freedom is a right given by God, but we also know that right is protected by those who fight for it,” Ivey concluded. “I am grateful for the hard work and support of the Alabama Legislature for passing strong legislation supporting our service men and women.” Military Family Jobs Opportunity Act Earlier this month at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ivey signed into law HB 388, the Military Family Jobs Opportunity Act. Through this bill, professional licensing boards are required to issue licenses and certificates to military spouses who hold licenses and certificates from other states. In the case a state has lesser requirements, the state will issue temporary licenses. Sen. Gerald Dial and Rep. Thad McClammy were the sponsors of the legislation.
Martha Roby: House passes VA bill, funds Choice Program
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed S. 2372, the VA MISSION Act, taking another critical step towards fulfilling our promise to make the Department of Veterans Affairs work for the men and women who have selflessly served our great nation. I was proud to support the legislation, and I am very pleased that it addresses a number of important pieces of the large VA puzzle. First and foremost, the VA MISSION Act extends and makes permanent funding for the VA Choice Program that many veterans depend on to receive care. You may have heard that Choice funding was set to expire at the end of May, and this bill prevents that from happening. In both densely populated and rural states alike, it can be very challenging for the VA medical centers to properly care for all veterans in a timely fashion, particularly when specialists are required. The Choice Program is an attempt to bridge this gap by allowing veterans to access private-sector care at VA expense if they have to wait longer than 30 days for a VA appointment or if they live more than 40 miles from a VA health care facility. It has been recorded that 550,000 veterans have used Choice so far this year, and in 2017, 14,790 Alabamians enrolled. Therefore, I am extremely glad that the House has taken action to ensure that this important program is funded. Secondly, the VA MISSION Act expands the VA’s Post-9/11 Caregiver Program to include veterans of all eras. Currently, only caregivers of veterans from the post-9/11 era are eligible for monthly stipends through the VA, and I believe expanding this program to caregivers of veterans from all eras will help ensure that more veterans receive the help they need. Finally, officials at the VA have said that their current physical footprint includes “hundreds of outdated or obsolete facilities,” and many of these facilities are often not in close proximity to large veteran populations. This is a gross waste and misuse of precious resources. Congressman Phil Roe, the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and author of the VA MISSION Act, said he believes a process free from bureaucratic politics is needed “to fix the massive and misaligned footprint” of the VA. The bill directs President Trump to establish a team to review the current VA operations across the country and make recommendations about ways we can modernize, improve, and streamline facilities and the services they provide. We can do better than this for our veterans, and I believe we will. Before the House voted on the bill, 38 veterans groups issued a letter of support for the legislation and called it “a major step towards making improvements to and investments in the VA health care system… so that veterans have access to care when and where they need it.” I agree, and I believe this bill will improve the lives of veterans. Fortunately, I believe the Senate will act quickly on this important piece of legislation, and the President has suggested he will waste no time signing it into law. You know as well as I do there’s no “quick fix” for the problems plaguing the VA – of course, I wish there was. Nonetheless, I will continue to support commonsense measures like the VA MISSION Act to deliver positive change for veterans. I have heard from countless veterans in Alabama’s Second District about the continued need for VA changes to improve the care they receive. We owe the men and women who have served our country the absolute best care possible, and I won’t stop fighting to achieve this. I hope we will soon see the VA MISSION Act signed into law. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
