The House of Representatives recently passed a bill H.R. 91 The Veteran's I.D. Card Act of 2015.
This bill would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to issue an Identification Card to any veteran
who asks for it.
There are many business and social establishments that offer discounts or free services to members
of the Armed Forces and/or Veterans.
Veterans who fulfilled the required length of service to retire, and those Veterans who are enrolled
in the VA Health Care system are issued Identification Cards as proof of service.
Any Veteran who did not retire, or is no in the VA Health Care does not have a valid Identification
Card, and must provide a copy of their DD-214 as proof of service.
The DD-214 is cumbersome to carry and also contains certain information that the Veteran may
not want to provide.
A valid Identification Card issued by the U.S. Government would eliminate the need to carry a
copy of a DD-214 and would serve as proof of military service.
The VA already has across the country a means in place to provide and ID Card. It would be a simple and expedient manner to manufacture and distribute such a card.
This would be at not cost to the government. The Secretary would determine the cost to provide
such an ID card; and that cost would be paid by the Veterans requesting this card.
The bill was sent to the Senate for consideration. After adding an amendment, the bill was passed.
Now the bill must go back to the House since the two bills are not identical.
The office of the bill's author Representative Vern Buchanan stated that the bill should be passed
in the House quickly and sent to President Obama for final approval.
----
Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
----------------
"And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades."
-- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Sunday, June 21, 2015
H.R. 501 Veterans And Service Members Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2015
An important piece of legislation now in the House of Representatives will help ensure fair and equal treatment of Veterans and Military members
avoid potential discrimination in the housing market and in the workforce.
Housing Act of 2015.
Many active duty service members, and many veterans, face difficulty in obtaining Housing due to the fact that it is still a commonly held
opinion that said members or veterans might turn dangerous at some point.
The same outdated beliefs apply in the job market. Veterans return from active duty to find in some cases that the job they held before
military service no longer exists (or has been filled..etc).
Some veterans, (or active duty personnel seeking additional employment) have struggled for years in hopeless search for a job. Employers find
it difficult to accept military training as equal to civilian job skills.
Other employers may in fact think that an active duty, or former military member would be disruptive to their current workforce, and
might become violent at any moment.
H.R. 501 would make it illegal to discriminate against anyone for their military service, in the workplace or in housing
There are currently several dozen bills in the House addressing discrimination with many cosponsors. It is important that this bill to address
citizens in the Veteran Community and all members of our Armed Forces be acted upon quickly. It is time to protect the men and women
who protected our nation.
Our friends and brothers and sisters in arms, members of AMVETS agree and believe that this important legislation should have
every Representative sign on as cosponsors and that this bill should be passed immediately.
---- Jerald Terwilliger Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
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