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#AdvocacyUpdate: Congressional Burn Pits Testimony, April Unemployment Numbers, and More!

May 9, 2021
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Wednesday, IAVA Director of Government Affairs Travis Hor testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) on legislation to gain benefits for veterans suffering from military exposures to burn bits and other toxins. Travis communicated the importance of both the Warfighter’s Act (S.952/H.R.2371) and the TEAM Act (S. 927/H.R. 2127), two of IAVA’s top efforts to help veterans with toxic exposures. Committee members on both sides of the aisle pressed VA for action and answers and grew impatient with the agency’s refusal to take positions on legislation at both hearings. Read Travis’s testimony HERE and watch the hearing HERE. Additionally, a Military.com article about the hearing with Travis’s contribution is HERE.

In addition to the hearing, HVAC passed 17IAVA-supported bills this week, geared toward ending sexual harassment at VA, ending veteran homelessness, and much more. In total, the committee passed 25 bills; a full list can be found HERE.

Thursday, IAVA Founder and Board Member Paul Rieckhoff and Executive VP for Government Affairs Tom Porter, member of the Lone Pine Paiute Shoshone Tribe in California, joined DJ Smallings of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma for an amazing roundtable discussion hosted by Intuit.  The event included a viewing of the Choctaw Code Talkers movie of Tribal members’ contribution to the World War I effort on behalf of the United States. We encourage you all to watch it!

April’s unemployment numbers were released Friday. Veteran unemployment raised slightly from 5% to 5.2%, equating to roughly 500,000 total veterans searching for steady employment. Unemployment among post-9/11 veterans fell from 6.1% to 5.1%. Joblessness across the nation rose slightly from 6% to 6.1%. Read more about the most recent unemployment numbers HERE

This week, IAVA kicked off the annual #GoSilent Memorial Day campaign to honor those who have lost their lives in military service to the U.S. A decade-long tradition, IAVA continues to promote this annual moment of silence every Memorial Day. The organization calls on all Americans to join in the national moment of remembrance on May 31 at 3 pm local time and pledge to honor servicemembers who gave their lives. A #GoSilent social media toolkit for Memorial Day is available at: iava.org/go-silent/#resources

IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force

We know that this time can be stressful and IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force (QRF) is here to help! This program provides 24/7 peer support, comprehensive care management, resource connections, and can help with accessing your VA benefits. To get connected to a Veteran Care Manager for immediate help anytime, day or night, please call 855-91RAPID (855-917-2743) or fill out our online form. Our services are remote, free, and confidential and QRF is here for all veterans, regardless of era, discharge status, or location. If you are a veteran or a veteran family member facing challenges or have questions, QRF is here to help you get back on your feet and meet your goals.

If you are currently experiencing a crisis please contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1.800..273.8255, and press 1. Alternatively, use the Crisis Text Line by texting “RISING” to 7417