Mark Shoemaker, Marvin Jeffcoat, Senator Greg Ball, Michael Pascal, John Mauro at the January Senate Committee meeting.

 

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT

James McNally

Our committee had a very busy and we hope productive year.  We held an organizational meeting in October, set our goals at the fall conference, held our first visitation in January and our second visitation on March 1st, 2011.  I would like to report on the progress of our goals. 
(1)          Veterans’ Home Redemption and Relief Act, Signed into law.
(2)          Acquire Funding for VFW service Officers. (a) S2427/A4269. A bill to create a tax return check off box to raise funds for the VFW by Senator Addabbo and Assemblyman Miller. (b)  Senator Lee Zelden promised to try to get the funds for us through other means.
(3)          Cold War Veteran Property Tax Exemption Act, Signed into law.
(4)          Service Disabled Business Act, S2423.  Reintroduced by Senator Greg Ball the new Chairman of Homeland Security and Military Affairs.  We believe it does not go far enough as it should include all veterans, but we support it as it is for veterans.
(5)          Veterans Retirement Buyback Bill, Assemblyman Magnarelli told us that he is still going to introduce it and include Afghan veterans.
(6)          Veterans Courts, The legislators feel that they will support any effort to set these up in their districts.
I would like to thank the Ladies Auxiliary Legislative Chairperson Mary Monte and the Auxiliary for their support this year

On the national level, PDC Melvin Garret, PDC Karl Rohde and I traveled to Washington DC in March to visit the New York Senators (2) and Congressmen (28) to speak on veteran’s issues.  Some of the topics covered were the backlog of veteran’s claims, Veterans Health care concerns to include benefits to women that recognize their unique needs and conducting new technologies to deliver services to rural areas using telemedicine. 

The VA is receptive to new procedures that are being tested.  VA Secretary General Shinseki is trying to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015.  He is also working on the unemployed veteran’s issue.  We also asked them not to raise the cost of Tricare. 

We support HR 178 advocating the removal of the veteran’s widow pension tax.  Other bills we were asked our opinion of: HR 546, the creation of a national flag of remembrance.  This was turned down at our last National Convention. 

HR595 submitted by NY Congressman Tom Reed designating Taps as the national song of remembrance.  We feel that it would be alright if it would be used only for veterans, firefighters and policemen and no one else.

I would like to thank the Legislative Committee and Vice Chairman Jeffcoat for a job well done this year. I would also like to thank Commander Veazy for appointing me to this committee.