LEGISLATIVE

2019-2020 Legislative Program:  A few things ~  First, you will receive points for All-State only. One (1) point will be awarded each month a Post submits a legislative report or response letter with your monthly Community Activity report. ➤ Please send to both Comrade Director Bob Lutz via activity@vfwmi.org. and please send a copy of your legislative activity only via leg@vfwmi.org.

 

Second, please note, Attending other Veterans groups meetings counts as Legislative (and others). 
See the All-State Guide via Activity Evaluation, which is also on this site under 'Programs.'

 

Third, please be certain to sign-up for the VFW Action Corps Weekly for timely and informative email updates on current federal legislation. The Action Corps link as well as several others are provided below.

Last, much thanks for your efforts to serve others!

 

RECENT

🔴 20 Dec. 2019 UPDATE:  2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Signed into law;The Widow's Tax has been eliminated. : https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1790

 

Please note, per VFW National Legislative Program, 13 Dec. 2019:

       "More than 65,000 surviving military spouses and dependents are unjustly required to forfeit up to     $1,319 of earned benefits every month. The message the aptly termed "Widow’s Tax” sends to service members, veterans, and their families is that our government salutes their service while in uniform, but they cost too much if they die on active duty or from service-connected conditions.
        For the first time ever, a provision to eliminate the Widow’s Tax has been included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)."
 

VFW Action Corps Weekly (22 November Edition): 

Student Veteran Protection Bill Introduced:  This past week Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the Protect Veterans’ Education and Taxpayer Spending(Protect VETS)Act of 2019,which would eliminate financial loopholes in higher education that could be used to prey upon student veterans. Sen. Carper, a VFW Life member, has worked tirelessly to bring about protections for veterans, servicemembers, and their families during their pursuit of higher education. Sen.Carper’s proposal would finally eliminate the problematic 90/10 loophole that has been a VFW priority for years. The VFW would like to thank Sen. Carper, along with his colleagues Senators Cassidy (R-La.), Lankford (R-Okla.), and Tester (D-Mont.) for their bold bipartisan actions to protect the interests of student veterans.

VFW Action Corps Weekly (27 November Edition): 

VFW-Supported Burn Pit Legislation Introduced: On Friday, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Senator Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) introduced VFW-supported S. 2950, the Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Recognition Act of 2019. This important bipartisan legislation would recognize that veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were exposed to more than 45 toxins, chemicals, and airborne hazards. Although this bill would not grant a presumption of service-connection, it would help veterans prove that any disability or illness resulting from exposure to these environmental hazards occurred during military service. The VFW thanks Sen. Sullivan and Sen. Manchin for introducing this legislation and for their continued efforts to expand disability benefits for veterans. House Passes Legislation to Expand the Veterans Legacy Program. 

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VFW Action Corps Weekly (13 September 2019):

 

 VFW Statement on Wolfe v. Wilkie: "The VFW is applauding the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, who in a 2-1 decision Monday, correctly ruled for the plaintiffs in Wolfe v. Wilkie. The class action lawsuit was the result of the Department of Veterans Affairs failing to fully reimburse veterans for the emergency room care they received from non-VA facilities, an issue the VFW had thought solved in 2016 when the same court ruled in favor of Staab v. Shulkin. But a report released last month by the VA Office of Inspector General found that the non-VA emergency room claims of some 17,400 veterans were denied or rejected primarily due to a VA work culture that favored speed over accuracy, a number that accounts for nearly a third of the 60,800 claims examined during the IG’s six-month nationwide audit in 2017. "The first thing the VA tells people to do when calling is to hang up and dial 911 if it’s an emergency,” said VFW National Commander William J. "Doc” Schmitz. "So the VA must reimburse the actual cost of emergency medical care, regardless of whether the veteran has secondary insurance or not,” he said. "VA Secretary Robert Wilkie must make these veterans financially whole again, correct its policies and practices regarding non-VA emergency room billing immediately, and fully adopt the IG report’s 11 recommendations to improve the accuracy of the non-VA emergency room claims processing.”


Senate Passes Veterans COLA and TSA Pre-Check Bills:  "Yesterday, the Senate passed the VFW-supported H.R. 1200, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2019, which would authorize a cost-of-living increase for certain VA benefits, equal to the same increase granted for Social Security benefits. H.R. 1200 was passed by the House earlier this year and now heads to the president’s desk. The Senate also passed S. 1881, Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act, which would make Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Pre✓® available for certain severely disabled veterans at no cost. TSA Pre✓® is already offered to active duty, reserves, and National Guard service members at no cost. S. 1881 now heads to the House.”

 

New! 

State of MI:  Public Act 96 of 2019 – Public Health Code, Effective January 27, 2020:  HB 4325 (Miller) Health occupations; counselors; scope of practice for counselors; modify, and revise licensing requirements. This law helps keep the requirements for limited license mental health counselors in place to allow private mental health care for those needing it in MI. Your and our VFW Aux. members' efforts help make this possible!

 

Helpful Links:


VFW Legislative Priorities (including VFW Priority Goals):
https://www.vfw.org/advocacy/national-legislative-service


VFW Action Corps Weekly:  https://www.vfw.org/actioncorpsweekly


State of Michigan Senators, Representatives, and Bills:  www.michiganlegislature.org

   House Clerk Phone:  517-373-0135
   Secretary of the Senate Phone:  517-373-2400

Federal Bills:  https://www.congress.gov//

   U.S. Senators:  www.senate.gov
   U.S. Representatives:  www.house.gov




Jennifer L. Smith, Veterans of Foreign Wars
  Dept. of MI Legislative Director
420 W. Kilborn Street

Lansing, MI  48906
Phone:  (517) 819-3551

Email:  

leg@vfwmi.org