GRASSROOTS ACTION UPDATES
The American Legion is urging Congress to pass the Love Lives On Act (S. 1266 / H.R. 3651). Without this bill, Gold Star Spouses over the age of 55 are forced to choose between remarriage and their survivor benefits. To ensure that surviving spouses can be married without repercussions, you contact your representatives in support of S. 1266 or H.R. 3651 by clicking here.
Last session, three critical bills passed the House of Representatives: The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act of 2023 (H.R. 542), the HOME Act of 2023 (H.R. 3848), and the COPE Act (H.R. 3581) bill. If the Senate agrees to pass this Legion-backed legislation, Congress has an opportunity to provide indispensable support for our Nation’s veterans and their family caregivers.
The American Legion is also proud to support S. 3546, the Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act. S. 3546 aims to evaluate the quality of mental health services at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and non-Department providers. If you would like to contact your representatives in support of this bill, H.R. 542, H.R. 3848, or H.R. 3581, you can visit our grassroots actions center to identify and email your elected official.
The American Legion has released its legislative agenda for the 2nd Session of the 118th Congress. To review our priorities, you can check our Advocacy Toolkit.
CONGRESS AND SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERS DISCUSS MILITARY SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT AND CHILDCARE
On January 31st, the Military Quality of Life panel of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) hosted a public hearing with the Senior Enlisted Advisors to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Services to discuss the major issues facing service members and their families.
The hearing followed a series of roundtables held last year by the panel with Pentagon officials, military advocates, and military families. During these meetings, lawmakers developed strategic legislation to address the complaints of servicemembers & support senior leaders’ efforts to improve quality of life. It was clear from the beginning that the goals of Chairman Don Bacon (R-NE-2) and the other congressional panelists were in line with those of the senior enlisted members. Across the board, members of Congress and the Armed Forces representatives were focused on improving five critical areas: pay and compensation, healthcare, housing, childcare, and support for spouses.
In the words of Air Force Veteran and Ranking Member Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), “You may recruit the soldier, sailor, airman, marine, or guardian. But to retain them, you must retain their families.” Echoing the Ranking Member’s point, Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Michael R. Weimer cited both military spouse employment as a major obstacle for military families. With relatively frequent relocations and uncertainties about childcare, a topic which was referenced frequently in the hearing, military spouses are often forced to give up employment or are unable to find jobs easily. When restricted to one income, military families often face increased levels of financial uncertainty.
According to SMA Weimer, the Army is actively pursuing military spouse employment partnerships and has created a Career Advancement Council. Congress is working parallel to the Department of Defense (DOD) to improve employment prospects for military spouses. The Military Spouse Hiring Act, which was introduced with strong, bipartisan support in the House and Senate in March of 2023, aims to encourage employers to hire military spouses, who might otherwise be passed over since they cannot commit to long-term placements. Under the legislation, businesses who hire qualified military spouses can claim a tax credit to offset the wages paid to the individual. Although the bill has not made much progress, the American Legion continues to support this bill and other efforts to support military spouses.
According to the hearing’s participants, inadequate child-care contributes to low quality of life and financial strain for military families. SMA Weimer, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) James M. Honea, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SMMC) Carlos A. Ruiz, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) Joanne S. Bass, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF) John F. Bentivegna all referenced the impact that childcare has on their service members and discussed ways to improve child development centers (CDCs). Ranking Member Houlahan agreed with the senior enlisted advisors that childcare should be a pillar of compensation. The congresswoman emphasized the growing number of women in the Armed Forces and the increased likelihood that they are single parents as factors that are compounding the existing inadequacies in CDCs.
During this discussion, SMA Weimer highlighted the successful childcare system at Fort Bliss, headquartered in El Paso, Texas. At the installation, the average wait time for childcare is only a few days. According to SMMC Ruiz, the Marine Corps has also implemented a system to effectively and swiftly re-employ spouses working in CDCs upon PCS to a new duty station. Moreover, CMSAF Bass said the Air Force has given civilian CDC employees childcare subsidies, which has increased staffing and retention.
The hearing, which lasted approximately two hours, covered many more topics, and displayed a reassuring level of cooperation and amiability between the Armed Forces and Congress. This collaboration will continue to be critical in order to uplift our service members and their families.
