AFGE NATIONAL VA COUNCIL

Veterans

Lobbied against contracting out of Compensation and Pension (C&P) Exams and bringing those exams back into the VA. Lobbied to keep all specialty C&P Exams including but not limited to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), veterans who served as Prisoners of War (POWs), veterans who suffered catastrophic injuries, and veterans who are currently eligible (or will likely soon be eligible) to pursue toxic exposure claims. Lobbied for the VA to utilize more internal C&P Providers by hiring more staff and returning staff to C&P positions who had previously been reassigned. Lobbied to keep Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Exams within the VA. Lobbied for the continued oversight of contract C&P Exams. Lobbied to make C&P Exams available in every VA Medical Center. Lobbied to make sure the VA is in compliance with Section 2002 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe,M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020. Lobbied for H.R. 6682, the Protecting VA Employees Act; to repeal parts of the VA Accountability Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 1948/S. 771, the VA Employee Fairness Act. Lobbied in support of changes made to H.R. 1948, the VA Employee Fairness Act. Lobbied in support of the implementation of the withdrawal of President Trump's May 2018 Executive Orders 13836, 13837, and 13839. Lobbied in support of the implementation of President Biden's January 2021 Executive Order 14003: Protecting the Federal Workforce in a timely fashion. Lobbied for oversight of the Biden Administration's implementation of Executive Order 4003. Lobbied to address problems created by VA reorganization of its human resources processes including centralization and implementation of new information technology systems, and practices and policies related to filling and posting unfilled positions. Lobbied in support of H.R. 3693, the VA CPE Modernization Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 962/S. 1888, the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act as it pertains to VA Police Officers. Lobbied in support of and for changes to S. 4156, the VA Workforce Improvement, Support, and Expansion (WISE) Act of 2022. Lobbied for increased compensation for mid-grade Title 38 employees in positions covered by the VA Nurse and PA RAISE Act. Lobbied for the increased use of market pay and locality pay surveys for Title employees and for Congress to perform oversight over the GA to ensure that these surveys are being completed regularly and accurately. Lobbied to prevent the implementation of recommendations of the VA Asset Infrastructure Review (AIR) Act to close facilities and reduce patient capacity. Lobbied for the VA to hire staff to fill its tens of thousands of vacancies. Testimony, Statements for the Record, and Letters: Provided a Statement for the Record for the House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Fulfilling Our Pact: Ensuring Effective Implementation of Toxic Exposure Legislation on December 7, 2022. Provided questions to committee members for the House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Fulfilling our Pact: Ensuring Effective Implementation of Toxic Exposure Legislation on December 7,2022. Provided questions to members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee for hearing on "Fulfilling our Pact: Ensuring Effective Implementation of Toxic Exposure Legislation" on December 7, 2022. Provided a Statement for the Record for the House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, "Review of the Role of VA's Fourth Mission and Pandemic Response" on December 13, 2022. Specific Legislation: Lobbied in support of H.R. 1948/S. 771, the VA Employee Fairness Act; Lobbied in support of H.R. 962/S. 1888, the Law Enforcement Officer Equity Act and the importance of this bill to the VA Police Force. Lobbied in support of H.R. 3693, the VA CPE Modernization Act and its amended version. Lobbied in support of S. 4156, the VA Workforce Improvement, Support, and Expansion (WISE) Act of 2022; Also lobbied for specific changes to the bill related to VA Police Pensions, Continuing Professional Education Benefits, Performance Pay, Collective Bargaining Rights for Title 38 Employees, and changes for protections for former federal employees in relation to IG investigations. Lobbied in support of H.R. 6682, Protecting VA Employees Act to amend parts of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 4673, Ensuring Veterans Smooth Transition (EVEST) Act. Lobbied in support of S. 3548, the Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2022. Lobbied in support of S. 4308, the Veterans Marriage Recognition Act. Lobbied in support of H.R. 8888, the Food Security for All Veterans Act. Lobbied in opposition to H.R. 2800, the Working to Integrate Networks Guaranteeing Member Access Now (WINGMAN) Act; Lobbied for changes to and supported H.R. 8510, the Strengthening Whistleblower Protections at the Department of Veterans Affairs as amended. Lobbied in support of H.R. 6823, the Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Service for Veterans and Caregivers Act of 2022, as amended. Lobbied in support of H.R. 8260, the Faster Payments to Veterans' Survivors Act of 2022. Lobbied in support of H.R. 5776, the Serving Our LGBTQ Veterans Act. Lobbied for in support of and for technical changes to H.R. 8003, the Restore Veterans Dignity Act of 2022. Lobbied in support of the amended version of H.R. 8313, the House Every Veterans Act. Lobbied in opposition to the amended version of H.R. 291 the COST SAVINGS Enhancement Act. Made comments on H.R. 6647, a bill to make certain improvements relating to the eligibility of veterans to receive reimbursement for emergency treatment furnished through the Veterans Community Care program, and for other purposes. Lobbied for oversight of the Honoring the PACT Act. Lobbied in support of report language related to Department of Veterans affairs in H.R. 2617 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Including: Support for the Cleland Dole Act and preferred changes to certain provisions; Support for report language exploring expanded dental coverage for eligible veterans; Support for the filling of vacancies throughout the department; Support for funding for the implementation of the PACT Act and the Toxic Exposure Fund.