This week the IAVA DC Team has been meeting with congressional offices to advocate for our #SheWhoBorneTheBattle campaign to recognize the service of women veterans. Also, this week Task and Purpose and Military Times reported on a disturbing proposal that would lay a huge $100 per month tax over two years on new troops to enable them to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill. IAVA fought hard last year to defeat cuts to the GI Bill and we intend to do the same this year if necessary. IAVA has already come out in strong opposition to this proposal.Here are some of this week’s policy highlights:

• IAVA Political and Intergovernmental Affairs Director, Melissa Bryant, attended the quarterly VA Mental Health Stakeholder meeting where VSOs, MSOs, VHA, and APA representatives covered several issues surrounding mental health care of veterans, especially women veterans.
• IAVA Members in Texas and Louisiana met with the offices of Reps Garret Graves (R-LA), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) to advocate for the Deborah Sampson Act.  
• IAVA’s Policy team met  with the offices of Reps. Mike Bost (R-IL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Pete Olsen (R-TX), Liz Cheney (R-WY), Jim Banks (R-IN), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Steve Knight, R-CA), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Tom Rooney (R-FL), and Steve Russell (R-OK) on #SheWhoBorneTheBattle and #DefendTheGIBill.  

• 1,088 IAVA member emails sent to Capitol Hill in support of our #SheWhoBorneTheBattle campaign. Join our advocacy by going to our Take Action page and contacting your Members of Congress to support the Deborah Sampson Act.

Now check out these awesome #SheWhoBorneTheBattle & #DefendTheGIBIll tweets!