Maloney Passes Veterans Legislation through House of Representatives to Close Gap in Services between DoD, VA

 

Maloney Passes Veterans Legislation through House of Representatives

to Close Gap in Services between DoD, VA

 

WASHINGTON —  Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) has successfully passed another legislative provision through the House of Representatives to benefit our veterans as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment, introduced alongside Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI), a former Marine Corps Captain, will help bridge the gap between services provided for active duty servicemembers at the Department of Defense (DoD) and those provided to veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). “If you’re active duty and you’re dealing with PTSD or substance abuse, you’ve got resources through the DoD to help you – and you’ve also got resources at the VA when you transition out of the military – but there’s a gap between the two,” said Rep. Maloney. “Veterans like Daniel Keegan from the Hudson Valley sometimes get trapped in that gap and can’t get out. We have to keep our promise to care for our veterans and that means seeing them right through their transition out of service and back into civilian life.”  

“Having served two back to back deployments in Iraq, I know firsthand that the transition from military to civilian life can be difficult,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI). “In my district in Northeast Wisconsin, I’ve had numerous veterans reach out to me about their own difficulties in getting re-established back into the community. Our amendment aims to connect veterans with local resources in their communities so that they have, and know where to find, all the tools they need to successfully navigate civilian life.”

 “I am so pleased that this amendment provides for an easier connection between the veteran community and the resources that they need,” said Stephanie Keegan, mother of Daniel Keegan, a veteran who passed away after transitioning out of the military. “I am certain it will go a long way towards easing the transition process for veterans returning to civilian life.”

Rep. Maloney introduced The Know Your Vets Act as a standalone bill in November of 2017 after hearing concerns from Nelson Rivera, the former Director of the Dutchess County Veterans Service Agency. Veterans Service Officers (VSOs), like Nelson, are available to assist new veterans during the transition out of military service, but VSOs have no way of knowing that a recently-discharged veteran has returned home or moved to their community. The transition from the military can be a difficult time for veterans. Some veterans struggle with finding a good job, adjusting to family life, or just feeling at home in the civilian world. Some even battle mental health issues or substance abuse. Without being notified about newly-discharged veterans in their area VSOs must wait for a veteran to contact them, which can be a barrier to the provision of services. Rep. Maloney worked alongside Rivera and Stephanie Keegan, the mother of Daniel Keegan who died shortly after he transitioned out of the military and was awaiting assistance from the VA. Daniel’s mother, Stephanie, believes that the tragedy could have been avoided if Daniel had help navigating the process and connecting with a local official, like a VSO.

The legislation would give veterans the option of having their final certificate of discharge paperwork, also known as a DD-214 form, sent to a county VSO based on the location of their retirement from service. This notification will allow VSOs to proactively reach out to offer assistance and ensure the new veteran has a smooth transition back to civilian life.

Last year, three legislative items Rep. Maloney introduced were passed into law as part of the NDAA. The Investing in Testing Act requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct a five-year, $7 million federal study into the long-term health effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure. That legislation was written in response to water contamination in the city of Newburgh. Rep. Maloney also worked to pass the Protecting Servicemembers from Debt Collectors Act into law, which requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide clear protections for servicemembers from predatory debt collection practices. Finally, Rep. Maloney worked to pass the Disabled Veterans Red Tape Reduction Act.

Author: Harlem Valley News