WASHINGTON, DC (March 24, 2017) – This week, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) members and leadership participated in Storm The Hill and launched the #SheWhoBorneTheBattle campaign that began on the 14th anniversary of the Iraq War and as Women’s History Month concludes. Highlights of the week include:

• Introduction of a historic piece of bipartisan women veterans legislation called the Deborah Sampson Act
  
• Allison Jaslow, IAVA Chief of Staff and Iraq War Veteran, delivered powerful testimony before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees
  
• Press conference with a group of bipartisan legislators covered by almost a dozen national outlets
  
• Half dozen national media hits including NPR, Military Times and Stars and Stripes
  
• 30 meetings on Capitol Hill with principals on both sides of the aisle including Susan Collins (R-ME), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Neal Dunn (R-FL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
  
• Key meetings with SVAC and HVAC leadership including Reps. Phil Roe and Tim Walz
  
• Hundreds of thousands of impressions on social media
  
• Elevated dozens of grassroots leaders from around the country
  
• Sparked impactful local testimonies from outside Washington including New York and Wisconsin
  
• Jumpstarted a national conversation on women veterans
  
• Released their most comprehensive Policy Agenda to date, covering issues including education, employment and veteran suicide
  
• Hosted a moving tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall led by IAVA Board Member Wayne Smith.
  

“IAVA has once again proven to be a leader in the fight to protect and honor all veterans and their families. Our members stood tall this week on Capitol Hill, showing that we will not back down when change is necessary” said Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and CEO of IAVA. “We will continue to raise our voices and make sure that the 345,000 women who have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11 get the recognition and services they earned while on the battlefield. With the devastating news of a female servicemember lost in Jordan this week, IAVA’s mission to honor She Who Borne The Battle is even more important.”

The fight will continue in the weeks ahead, including a House version of the bill to be introduced and VetTogethers held nationwide. Visit SheWhoBorneTheBattle.org for updates and progress of the Deborah Sampson Act and the #SheWhoBorneTheBattle campaign.

To schedule interviews with any of our powerful women veteran spokespeople, please contact press@iava.org.