ROA attended a press conference with Senator Tester (MT), Senator Gillibrand (NY), and Senator Daines (MT) on H.R. 299. They explained the bipartisan supported bill to extend disability and medical benefits to Navy Vietnam Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in ships off the coast of Vietnam has been stalled. Two Senators have put a hold on the bill preventing it from going to the floor for vote. ROA has released the Following call to action to their members.

CALL TO ACTION

Please ask your members to call Senator Enzi (202-224-3424) and Senator Lee (202-224-5444) and ask them to release their hold on House bill H.R. 299 so it can go to the floor for vote. The rest of the Senate is ready to support the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2018. Our Vietnam Veterans are dying every day from their exposure to Agent Orange -- they deserve VA’s support for their service connected illnesses.

Senator Enzi knows that the estimated cost is considered unusually high compared to DoD estimates; unfortunately, the cost assumptions by the Congressional Budget Office have not been shared.

Senator Lee knows that there is more then enough science and medical studies supporting Agent Orange exposure to the Blue Water Navy veterans; one more study will not change the outcome.

These holds are preventing the bill from going to the President before Christmas. Vietnam Veterans were exposed to Agent Orange over 50 years ago, they should not have to wait any longer for the care they deserve!

by Owen Patterson
This summer I had the pleasure of working in an internship program as a legislative policy assistant under ROA’s wonderful legislative team.  This team, comprised of the wonderful Susan Lukas and skillful John Rothrock, taught me a great deal about advocacy, the reserve component, and the traits of model officers.  I will cherish the experience from this summer with ROA’s national staff and hopefully be able return to at some point in my career. READ MORE>

Exciting changes have come to ROA!  The 2018 National Convention voted on several Constitution and By-Law changes to membership.  ROA delegates strongly supported a vote of “AYE” to open membership to all ranks. Read about all of the changes here.

 

See the complete convention wrap-up to include briefings and photo gallery, click here.

ROA Executive Director Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jeff Phillips is published in The Hill as an opinion contributor.

 

“I will advocate until they drape the flag over my coffin.” That’s what Rosie Lopez-Torres told the Reserve Officers Association her husband, Army Reserve Capt. Leroy Torres, would say about his struggle for fair treatment after being disabled by toxic fumes spewing from burn pits in Iraq in 2007.

 

“You pretty much have to be a full-time advocate, just to ensure that the system doesn’t lose you in the process … if you come back from fighting a war and have to fight to keep your job.  It’s been a huge sacrifice; it’s had a huge impact on our lives,” she said. “How do you endure being stripped of your dignity and the one thing that was your life’s dream?”

The House has left town for the August Recess and will return on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. The Senate has started a shorter August Recess and will return on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

 

The National Defense Authorization Act of FY 2019 passed both the House and Senate and will now go to the President for signature or veto. After Congress sends the president a final bill, he has 10 days (not counting Sunday) to act on it.  President Trump can sign the bill, not sign the bill so that it automatically becomes law after 10 days, or veto (Latin for “I forbid”) the bill.

 

The Department of Defense appropriations bill passed in the House on 28 June 2018. The Senate is expected to vote on the DoD bill mid-August when they return from August recess.