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Help us ensure that anadequate VA system willbe there for the millionsof current and futureveterans.

When you visit yourcongressional representativesplease stress that these are theissues we will be ghting for inthe 112th Congress. These goalsreect the resolutions passed bythe VFW and are supported byour 2.1 million members and our

 Auxiliaries. To nd out who yourcongressional representativesare visit the VFW website atwww.vfw.org and click on the“VFW in DC” Action Corps link.

Ensure that these PriorityGoals are enacted. Signup today for the VFW’slegislative e-mail newsletter at www.vfw.org/weekly andfollow the Capitol Hill blog atwww.vfwonthehill.org

Washington Ofce

200 Maryland Avenue, N.E.Washington, D.C. 20002Tel. (202) 543-2239Fax (202) 543-0961

National Headquarters406 W. 34th StreetKansas City, MO 64111Tel. (816) 756-3390Fax (816) 968-1199

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© 2011 Veterans of Foreign Wars www.vfw.org

Key VFW National

Veterans, Legislative,Employment and

Security Goals

2012

Goals

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2012 Priority Goals SEAMLESS TRANSITION• Demand the creation of one integrated electronic

medical and service record that will fo llow servicemembers from the time they raise their right handsto the time they are buried in a VA cemetery.

• Urge Congress and the Administration to improveTransition Assistance Programs to help new veteranssuccessfully transition into civilian life.

MILITARY QUALITY OF LIFE

• Oppose all proposals that will damage morale anddecimate the all-volunteer force.• Call on Congress to remain fully committed to

improving the quality of life for all active duty andReserve Component members and their families.

• Support efforts to lower the Reserve Componentretirement pay age to 55.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT• Urge Congress to address the highest unemployment

rates among veterans in recent history.• Fight to sustain G.I. Bill benets, ensuring veterans

receive the opportunities they have earned.• Insist on legislation in Congress to strengthen

USERRA and reverse legal decisions that tended tofavor employers and undermine the employability of our National Guard and Reserve forces.

• Ensure Congress mandates that all federal agenciesreach the 3-percent government-wide procurementgoal for Service Disabled Veteran-Owned SmallBusinesses.

DEFENSE AND HOMELAND SECURITY • Fully support U.S. troops and their mission to

prosecute the war on terrorism, as well as to protectour nation’s citizens and interests around the world.

• Ensure defense funding fully supports personnelQuality of Life initiatives, troop end strengthrequirements, and needed weapons systemsdevelopment and replacement programs.

• Halt the development and/or proliferation of 

weapons of mass destruction, while continuing todevelop and deploy a ballistic missile defense systemto protect the U.S. and our allies.

• Secure U.S. borders, shorelines and all ports of entryagainst foreign national’s intent on doing us harm.

POW/MIA• Achieve the fullest possible accounting of U.S.

military personnel missing from all wars.• Ensure the U.S. Government keeps the POW/

MIA issue elevated as a national priority and thatprograms are fully funded.

 VA HEALTH CARE• Insist Congress provide sufcient funding to the

Department of Veterans Affairs so it continues

providing the highest quality care to wounded, illand injured veterans.• Ensure Congress provides sufcient funding for

 VA research into the identication, prevention andtreatment of Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic BrainInjuries, and other wounds to the mind, exploringalternative treatment options.

• Urge Congress to keep women’s issues at theforefront of legislation to continually improveavailability and access to VA programs, services andspecialists.

• Oppose all efforts to eliminate or reduce presumptiveservice-connected conditions for wounded, ill andinjured veterans, as well as to defeat any proposalthat would lock out or increase fees on VA PriorityGroup 7 and 8 veterans.

• Provide adequate funding to maintain currentbuilding structures and continue to reduce thebacklog of critical infrastructure gaps

SUICIDES & HOMELESSNESS• Address the national crisis where 18 veterans

commit suicide every day by ensuring that Congressproperly fund DOD and VA awareness and supportprograms.

• Push Congress to properly oversee and fundhomeless programs by increasing per diemrates, providing education and career trainingopportunities and making available substance abuseand mental health services.

• Ensure available permanent housing solutions for all

homeless veterans—especially female veterans withchildren.

 VA COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS• Urge Congress to use its funding and oversight

authority to require the Veterans Benets Administration (VBA) to reduce the claims backlogwhile improving the overall quality of ratingsdecisions.

• Call on Congress to require VA to install an ITinfrastructure that will help transform VA into a21st century agency. A timely, accurate claim shouldbe what every veteran, service member and eligiblefamily member receives.

Recently, defcit hawks have called onCongress to cut 10 specifc military and

 veterans’ quality o lie benefts to pay orthe last 10 years o war. This a breach o aith with America’s war-fghters and we

 will continue to fght against these toxicproposals:

• Increasehealthcarepremiumsformilitaryretirees on TRICARE

• Increasepharmaceuticalfeesfortroops,amilies and retirees

• Eliminatepresumptiveservice-connectedconditions or disabled and ill veterans

• LockoutorincreasefeesforDepartmento Veterans Aairs Priority Groups 7 and 8

 veterans

• Reducecost-of-livingallowances

• Freezemilitarypay

• Endgovernmentsubsidiestomilitarycommissaries

• EliminateDepartmentofDefenseelementaryschools stateside

• Eliminatethe20-yearmilitaryretirementplan

• EliminateDODtuitionreimbursement

programs or service members