FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 5, 2010

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Obama Signs Critical Legislation for Female Vets and Caregivers; IAVA Attends White House Signing

IAVA Applauds the President for Signing Vital Legislation

NEW YORK – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest nonprofit, non-partisan organization for the veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, issued this statement following the President’s signing of The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act (S. 1963), which includes several of IAVA’s top legislative priorities:

“Today, IAVA was proud to stand with the President as he signed historic legislation to support female veterans and caregivers of seriously wounded veterans. These are two populations that have been overlooked and under resourced for far too long.

After months of pushing this legislation forward, IAVA was honored to be at the White House today to see this historic bill become law. This legislation mandates badly needed improvements to female VA health care, provides long overdue support for the caregivers of severely wounded veterans and increases mental health care access for rural veterans.

IAVA worked with both the House and Senate on this bi-partisan legislation, and we thank President Obama for continuing to make troops, veterans, caretakers and their families a priority.”

Tim Embree, IAVA Legislative Associate, attended the signing ceremony. Tim joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1999 and served two combat tours in Iraq before being honorably discharged in 2007. He works in IAVA’s Washington, DC office and is originally from St. Louis, MO.

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Legislative Associate Tim Embree, or another veteran spokesperson, please contact Chrissy Stevens at (212) 982-9699 or Chrissy@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country’s first and largest nonprofit, non-partisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 180,000 member veterans and civilian supporters nationwide.

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