VFW Legislative Priority Goals
 

VA Budget
• Ensure that sufficient funding is authorized and appropriated for the Veterans Health Administration so that it can fulfill its obligation to care for all of our nation’s sick and disabled veterans.
• Ensure a proper funding mechanism to guarantee that the Department of Veterans Affairs receives the appropriate level of funding to adequately care for all our nation’s veterans in a timely manner.

                                                   
VA Benefits and Compensation
• Ensure that the VA disability compensation program is preserved in its current form to protect the needs of current and future veterans. The VFW opposes any changes to current definitions of line of duty, structural changes to the programs for disability and survivors benefits, or curtailment of veterans or beneficiaries rights of entitlement, or to appeal benefit decisions.

Education
• Secure authority and full funding for a GI Bill for the 21st Century that recognizes the valuable contributions of those serving in uniform by providing for the full costs of tuition, fees and living expenses for attendance at any institution of higher learning of a veteran’s choosing.

Military Retirees
• Ensure that Congress enacts legislation that authorizes and fully funds legislation that allows all disabled military retirees to receive their full military retirement pay and full disability compensation without offset.

Veterans Employment
• Oppose attempts to reduce or circumvent veterans preference.
• Support an effective and efficient Veterans Employment and Training Service.
• Urge State Governors to appoint at least one veterans advocate to state workforce development boards. Veterans also should be represented on local boards.
• Urge national standardization of licensing and certification.
• Urge DoD and State Legislatures to fully support programs that ensures Guard and Reserve members and their families access to the most recent employment data and the necessary education/training to provide long-term growth and opportunities in the occupation of their choice.

Homeless Veterans
• Fully Fund all homeless programs and enhance community–based efforts.
• Require that homeless programs funded by the federal government offer a continuum of services to include: outreach, medical and rehabilitation treatment, long-term sheltered transitional assistance, and employment assistance.

Homeland Security/War on Terrorism
• Seal U.S. borders and halt the flow of illegal immigration
• Call for increased resources to prosecute and win the war on terrorism
• Support U.S. government efforts to take decisive and offensive action in the global war on terror

Defense/Foreign Affairs
• Increase defense spending to improve the readiness, training, modernization, and sustainability of both our active and reserve component forces
• Urge the continued development & deployment of a ballistic missile defense system
• Monitor the activities of North Korea and the People’s Republic of China to ensure security in the region
• Tighten U.S. policy on high technology exports
• Secure Europe through the continued expansion of NATO
• Ensure U.S. security by supporting and remaining united with our allies to defeat present and future threats

Military Affairs
• Continually seek to improve the quality of life for all active and reserve component members and their families
• Obtain military base pay raises to reach full comparability with private sector workers by 2007
• Increase funding for military construction projects that modernize or replace working, housing and recreation facilities
• Provide a health insurance coverage option to all members of the Guard and Reserve
• Support efforts to lower the Reserve Component retirement pay age to 55

POW / MIA
• Never quit on achieving the fullest possible accounting of all American POW/MIAs from all wars
• Urge the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to establish a House Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs
• Support POW/MIA Recognition Day and encourage the flying of the POW/MIA flag
• Increase our effort on POW/MIA public awareness initiatives