On April 9th, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff joined President Obama, Veterans Affairs Secretary General Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the White House in support for advance funding of VA healthcare and an overhaul of the military and veterans’ record system.
[2]
Prior to the announcement, President Obama met with Rieckhoff and the heads of other leading veterans’ organizations for the second time in a month. The announcement capstoned efforts undertaken by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to lobby for advance funding of VA healthcare during IAVA's Storm the Hill trip to Washington, D.C. in February 2009. In making the announcement, President Obama pledged to eliminate two of the most significant bureaucratic hurdles that keep veterans from the healthcare and benefits they have earned.
Links:
[1] http://iava.org/files/images/the_whitehouse_0.jpg
[2] http://www.flickr.com/photos/iava/3480440639/
[3] http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000003095478
[4] http://iava.org/press-room/press-releases/historic-day-iava-stands-president-obama-white-house-two-critical-announce
[5] http://iava.org/iava-in-washington/legislative-agenda
[6] http://www.stormthehill.org
[7] http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/436/t/8492/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1906
[8] http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/436/t/8492/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=4285
