Hall addresses urgent Veterans’ issues

Congressman John Hall met with officials of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System and key veterans leaders at the Castle Point and Montrose campuses, both in New York’s 19th Congressional District, to discuss high priority veterans’ issues.

Hall, who has been named to the House Veterans Affairs Committee, discussed legislation that the committee is expected to consider this year, and sought input from those at the meetings. He also asked for their ideas on other issues that should be on the committee’s agenda.

This is the first of a series of meetings to be held with veterans and organizations that serve them throughout the 19th CD in order to hear their concerns regarding issues before the Veterans Affairs Committee, said Hall.
Almost 50,000 veterans live in the district, and more than 155,000 live in the Hudson Valley.

“At a time when the war in Iraq and military operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world are creating a new generation of veterans, the VA faces two critical, closely-related challenges,” noted Hall. “The first is to make sure that there are adequate resources, services and facilities to meet the needs of America’s existing generations of veterans. That means working to fully fund the VA healthcare system, and rejecting budget proposals that lock veterans out of the system of impose new fees. The second is to prepare the VA to absorb the new caseload being created today, and to make sure adequate mental health and prosthetic services are available to meet this generation’s specific needs.”
Hall has been selected by the Democratic caucus to serve as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
The opportunity to chair a subcommittee is rare for freshman members of Congress, and will allow him to oversee programs involving veterans’ compensation, pensions, life insurance, burial benefits and claims.

The subcommittee is expected to explore solutions to the backlog of veterans’ claims pending with the Department of Veterans Affairs and advance proposals to make it easier for veterans to claim their benefits.

A vote approving Hall’s selection as subcommittee chairman is expected in Congress next week.
Hall is also slated to serve on the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, which oversees veterans’ education, rehabilitation, housing, and other matters. The subcommittee is scheduled to consider a 21st Century GI Bill of Rights this year.