M. Todd Hunter 2021-05-13 11:33:45
DAV honors advocates, provides online legislative resources aimed at achieving critical policy goals during pandemic
The State Commanders and Adjutants Association’s annual mid-winter conference is DAV’s premier event focused on legislative priorities and advocacy efforts. Despite its cancellation this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization’s members and supporters were provided with various online tools and resources to help maintain the necessary momentum that would have been achieved through an in-person event.
In February, DAV’s national legislative team posted a series of videos on DAV.org that laid out the organization’s critical policy goals for the 117th Congress and provided tips for Benefits Protection Team leaders on how to increase the efficacy of members’ and supporters’ advocacy efforts.
These legislative policy goals include ensuring veterans who were exposed to toxic substances—such as burn pits, Agent Orange and other known hazards—receive full and timely benefits; protecting veterans in the claims and appeals process; further enhancing survivor benefits; building a veterans health care system for the future; eliminating health disparities and improving services for women, minority and underserved veterans; and improving mental health services and suicide prevention efforts for veterans.
“DAV has always stood at the forefront of legislative victories for America’s veterans, and we look forward to working with congressional leaders to continue doing the same in the 117th Congress,” said National Legislative Director Joy Ilem. “We hope the tools and resources we made available online will help our members in achieving these goals on behalf of their brothers- and sisters-in-arms.”
DAV honored the top 5 performing DAV departments and department Benefits Protection Team leaders for their legislative advocacy efforts and achievements on behalf of veterans with the organization’s annual Outstanding Performance in Advocacy awards. DAV also provided special recognition awards for congressional and federal executive leadership. “The recipients of this year’s advocacy awards have illustrated an unmatched commitment to fighting for the best interests of veterans and their families,” said National Commander Butch Whitehead. “Veterans are a nonpartisan issue, and these honorees worked tirelessly to ensure our nation keeps its promises to our nation’s heroes.”
Federal Advocacy Awards
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was recognized as Outstanding Senate Legislator of the Year for his leadership on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) and his willingness to tackle key veterans issues such as sexual assault, opioid addiction and health care access for rural veterans, as well as his legislation to address the health consequences from toxic exposures from burn pits.
Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois was recognized as Outstanding House Legislator of the Year for his work on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee— where he serves as ranking member—and his efforts addressing military toxic exposures and improving health services for our nation’s women veterans. Beyond addressing key veterans issues, which resulted in the passage of the Appeals Modernization Act and the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, Bost also championed reform of the Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance Program, ensured that veterans and survivors received adequate annual compensation increases, and advocated for changes to the VA’s debt collection process.
Cheryl L. Mason, chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals within the Department of Veterans Affairs, was recognized as Outstanding Federal Executive of the Year for her leadership in improving the VA appeals system during the very complex challenges posed by COVID-19. Though the Board suspended all hearings in March 2020 due to the pandemic and public health crisis, Mason quickly established an alternative hearing pilot program allowing veterans to attend Board hearings virtually from their own home along with an accredited representative such as a DAV national appeals officer.
Congressional staff special recognition awards
Jason “JC” Henry, professional SVAC staff member, was recognized for his collaboration with the veterans service organization (VSO) community on several key issues, including his efforts to make Disability Benefits Questionnaires publicly available and to reestablish the 48-hour VSO predecisional review period, as well as his work on burn pits and toxic exposures and the addition of Agent Orange-related presumptive diseases.
Andrea Goldstein, senior policy advisor for the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Women Veterans Task Force, received recognition for her work to increase the understanding of the challenges and needs of our nation’s women veterans, including cultural barriers to care, post-deployment mental health concerns, employment and economic challenges, sexual harassment and military sexual trauma.
Mary-Eileen Manning, senior projects advisor, and Liz Banicki, legislative assistant for Sen. Dan Sullivan of Arkansas, were both recognized for their leadership addressing concerns of rural veterans and women veterans, as well as their efforts on burn pits and toxic exposure legislation.
Aaron Scheinberg, legislative assistant for Sen. Manchin, received recognition for his leadership in responding to the tragedy at the Clarksville VA Medical Center and his continued efforts on burn pits and toxic exposure legislation.
Nandini Narayan, member services and outreach coordinator for Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, was recognized for her leadership and dedicated collaboration with the VSO community on issues affecting veterans and their families and specifically for helping to advance legislation to improve benefits for survivors of disabled veterans.
Watch the Video
Legislative advocacy resources and videos of the Outstanding Performance in Advocacy award presentations can be found at dav.org/2021midwinter.
Published by Disabled American Veterans. View All Articles.
This page can be found at http://digital.dav.org/article/Advancing+advocacy+amid+uncertainty/3998263/703079/article.html.