Legion voices heard in new Congress

The American Legion let key lawmakers know the organization’s positions on employment issues, VA health-care legislation and costly legal fees charged to disabled veterans during a flurry of late-March testimony on Capitol Hill.

In two days, American Legion testimony was presented three times before members of the newly begun 118th Congress. Complete American Legion written testimonies and statements for the record can be viewed online at legion.org/legislative/testimony.

On March 29, American Legion Legislative Director Lawrence Montreuil delivered the organization’s positions on seven pending bills to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, including support for H.R. 234, known as Gerald’s Law, that would extend veteran burial benefits to those who pass away outside of VA hospitals or long-term care facilities. He also reiterated the Legion’s opposition to lost VA benefits for Gold Star Spouses who remarry and support for H.R. 854 – with amendments – that would lift the remarriage penalty.

Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division Director Tiffany Ellett delivered testimony on pending VA health-care legislation, including H.R. 41, which would require VA to set appointment dates and times on the same day enrolled veterans place calls to make them. She also addressed the Legion’s support for improvements to VA’s caregiver-support system and legislation to increase the number of VA patient advocates.

American Legion policy analyst Matthew Brennan of the Veterans Employment & Education Division submitted the organization’s positions on 11 bills or pending legislation, including one that would make permanent VA’s VET-TEC pilot program that connects veterans with training programs that would put them into position for jobs in high-demand, well-paying computer careers.

To stay up to date on American Legion testimony and bills the organization is tracking, visit the Grassroots Action Center where members are urged to report their interactions with members of Congress or their staff on the Congressional Contact Report Form. In March 2023 alone, 320 congressional engagements were reported Legionnaires nationwide.