New Veterans Storm the Hill to Push for 2009 Legislative Priorities

New Veterans Storm the Hill to Push for 2009 Legislative Priorities
Veterans from 8 States Meet with Over 100 Congressional Offices to Encourage Support for Advance Funding, TBI, PTSD

NEW YORK - Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan group for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, announced that its annual Storm the Hill advocacy week will begin on Monday, February 9th, in Washington, D.C. Veterans from across the country will visit Capitol Hill to educate legislators on the most pressing issues facing their generation. The week will begin Sunday with a kick-off event in which local veterans will come together to lend their support to the campaign. On Monday veterans will hit the ground running with a congressional and media briefing event, followed by three packed days of meetings with over 100 Congressional offices. Details on both events can be found below.

Veterans will urge legislators to advance-fund the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Year after year, the VA budget is passed late, forcing the largest health care provider in the nation to ration care.  Funding the VA health care budget one year in advance would put an end to the broken VA funding system, and would not cost any additional money.

As discussions over the economic stimulus package continue, veterans will also ask lawmakers to ensure that any plan to stimulate the economy fully supports the newest generation of veterans and their families. Additionally,  they will present IAVA's other legislative priorities for 2009, including better screening for invisible injuries such as PTSD and TBI, ending the passive culture within the VA, and ensuring correct implementation of the historic new GI Bill.

"Lately, it seems like all Congress has been doing is writing big checks to bankers on Wall Street and worrying about digital cable. We've been at war for more than seven years and it's taking a tremendous toll on our troops, military families and veterans," said IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff. "It's time for Washington to refocus and make veterans a top priority. Our members lead on the battlefield, and now they will lead the fight for veterans' rights in Washington. We look forward to meeting with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to galvanize support for our 2009 legislative priorities."

This year, IAVA will be making history by bringing the largest delegation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans ever to take part in the annual Storm the Hill advocacy week. New veterans will be meeting with more than a hundred congressional offices over the course of the week.

The campaign kicks-off on Sunday, February 8th, at a local cocktail hour event where dozens of DC-area IAVA member veterans will come together to lend their support to the campaign. The event is being held at Garrett's in Georgetown (Click here [1] for directions) from 7:00-10:00 PM.  The evening will feature a musical performance by Jason Knight, an Iraq veteran, on the blues harmonica.

On Monday, February 9th, veterans participating in Storm the Hill will host a briefing for Congressional offices and the media on the issues that matter most to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The event is from Noon-1pm in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, room SVC 212/210.

To see the full 2009 Legislative Agenda please visit:

http://iava.org/iava-in-washington/legislative-agenda [2].

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, meet with veterans coming to Capitol Hill, or attend the Congressional briefing, please contact Chrissy Stevens at (212) 982-9699 or Chrissy@iava.org [3].

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org [4]) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide.  Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.