VIDEO: Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC Endorses Congressman Joe Courtney
COLCHESTER, CT: Congressman Joe Courtney was officially endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee (VFW PAC) during a press conference today in Colchester. Representatives of the VFW, including Rusty Meek, State Commander of the Department of Connecticut VFW, and John Hollis, VFW National Legislative Committee, presented Congressman Courtney with the endorsement. The Commander credited the freshman lawmaker for his hard work on behalf of veterans nationwide.
“Our veterans served our nation proudly and bravely, and I am honored to accept their endorsement,” stated Courtney. “Veterans face unique challenges and deserve an advocate who will fight for their needs. I thank the VFW and its membership for placing their continued trust in me. I will never forget their service and will make sure they receive the benefits they have earned.”
Congressman Courtney was joined by Specialist Mike Castillo, CT National Guard, VFW State Commander Rusty Meek, VFW National Committee Member John Hollis, State Representative and VFW Member Ted Graziani, and other veterans from throughout the district.
“When Congressman Courtney first ran in 2006, I stepped back because it was not my district, but now that I have seen his record of accomplishment during his first term in Congress, I know that he has been fighting for our military troops, their families, and their future. As the State Commander of the VFW, I give my full support to Congressman Courtney and know that he will continue to fight to update the laws and benefits pertaining to veterans past, present and future. Knowing that I can pick up a phone and get an honest answer from him on any veterans issue is a credit to him, and what is needed by our veterans,” Rusty Meek, State Commander, VFW Connecticut.
“I belong to the National Legislative Committee, and to qualify for an endorsement by the Committee, one must meet the highest standards of our veterans, those who are serving currently and those who have served in uniform in previous conflicts. Congressman Courtney’s support of the GI Bill for the 21st Century has improved the quality of education and the quality of life for our troops who are returning home. The Congressman has earned this endorsement and has exceeded all of the many requirements set by the VFW Committee,” stated John Hollis, Member, National Legislative Committee.
Below is a list of Congressman Courtney’s achievements on behalf of Connecticut’s veterans:
Congressman Joe Courtney’s Record of Supporting our Veterans, Troops and Military Families in Eastern Connecticut
For all they have given us, Congressman Joe Courtney believes that our veterans, troops and military families deserve the strong support of their elected officials. Since his first day in office, Congressman Courtney has worked tirelessly to support our veterans and military families and ease the challenges they face. For his work, Congressman Courtney was praised by the Hartford Courant as “a particularly strong advocate for increasing benefits on behalf of veterans,” received an “A+” rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association of America (IAVA) for his advocacy on behalf of our newest veterans, and earned the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC for his re-election to Congress.
Helped Pass Historic New Investment in Veterans Healthcare – Congressman Courtney and the 110th Congress reversed years of stagnant veterans budgets for veterans care and benefits by providing the largest increase in veterans’ funding in the history of the VA – an additional $16 billion since January 2007. This funding:
- Strengthens quality health care for 5.8 million patients and earned benefits for all veterans, including Priority Eight veterans who were shut out by the Bush Administration in 2003.
- Focuses attention on the 333,000 veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
- Reduces the 396,000 claims backlog and the 177 day average wait for veterans to access earned benefits by adding thousands of new claims processors.
- Rejects the President’s proposals to dramatically increase health care fees on eastern Connecticut veterans and military retirees
- Earned the endorsement of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other major veterans’ groups who hailed the veterans’ funding bill as a “major victory” and an “impressive commitment” to our veterans.
Vans for Veterans – After years of struggling with high transportation costs and long distances traveling to VA medical centers, veterans in eastern Connecticut were relieved when Congressman Courtney helped to create a much needed van service for disabled veterans to see their doctors. Disabled veterans no longer need to miss critical doctor appointments because of a lack of access to transportation.
Improving Assistance to our Wounded Warriors– As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney is leading the fight in Congress to improve our wounded warriors' transition home by introducing legislation (H.R 3191) which requires the Department of Defense to provide contact information of a wounded service member to the state veterans' affairs department in the state in which they intend to reside after their medical separation from the Armed Forces. Language from Congressman Courtney's bill was included in the Wounded Warrior Act – comprehensive legislation to address the failures at Walter Reed and improve the care of our wounded warriors - which is now law.
Ensuring Our Troops Have the Best Body Armor – After hearing concerns about the adequacy of the fairness and oversight of the military’s testing of body armor used by our troops in combat zones, Congressman Courtney led the charge in the House to begin an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of the testing process. He visited the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground, where body armor is tested, to see the process first hand and investigate the concerns. And, he introduced and passed legislation, the PROTECT Act, to improve the testing of body armor used by our troops in combat by strengthening oversight of the process. Congressman Courtney’s work will provide our troops, and their families, greater confidence that they have the equipment they need to stay safe and return home.
Supporting Connecticut’s Citizen Soldiers – Congressman Courtney has been a strong advocate for the Connecticut National Guard. From his position on the House Armed Services Committee, he led the fight in the House to keep the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program on track – which is critical to the future of the Connecticut Air National Guard’s “Flying Yankees.” In addition, he helped secure critical funding for key Connecticut National Guard facilities in and around eastern Connecticut, including critical expansion of the engine shop at the Bradley Air National Guard Base. He also introduced legislation, the National Guard Technician Recruitment and Retention Act (H.R. 6438), to ensure that the over 300 military technicians of Groton’s 1109th AVCRAD receive the same benefits and pay as their fellow National Guardsmen. For his work, Congressman Courtney was awarded the Connecticut National Guard Association’s 2008 Meritorious Service Award.
Pay Raise for the Troops – At a time when we are asking so much from our troops and the families that depend on them, it is more important than ever that we give them the salary they deserve and need to make ends meet. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney worked to provide our troops with two pay increases – 3.5 percent in 2008 and 3.9 percent in 2009. The President called these measures, a half-percent more than his proposal, “unnecessary” increases which he “strongly opposes.”
New GI Bill for Iraq and Afghanistan Vets – Since 2001, more than 12,000 troops from Connecticut have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the GI Bill current benefits they returned to only pay about 70 percent of a public college education and 30 percent of a private college education. With all they have given us, I believe that it is our responsibility to fully support the educational needs of our troops when they return home. Congressman Courtney joined a bipartisan coalition in introducing and passing a New Post-9/11 GI Bill that gives troops returning from Iraq or Afghanistan who have served 3 years on active duty, full benefits to cover the costs of a four-year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public school. Those who served less than three years would receive new GI Bill benefits on a sliding scale commensurate with the length of their combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the bill also allows service members with six years of service, coupled with an additional service agreement of four years, to transfer their educational benefits to their spouses and dependents. This measure, which is now law, was broadly supported by a bipartisan majority in Congress and by all major veterans’ organizations - including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America –and goes into effect in August, 2009.
Supporting our Military Families– Congressman Courtney supported the HEART Act, which provides $2 billion in tax relief for military families to ease their financial burdens caused by repeated military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now law, this measure made permanent a provision allowing combat pay to be treated as earned income for purposes of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) which, if allowed to expire, would have denied military families much-needed tax relief; provides a tax credit of up to $4,000 for small businesses who continue to pay their National Guard and Reserve employees when they are called up to serve; ensures that all military service members on active duty eligible for a recovery rebate receives one; and provides other relief aimed at easing the economic hardships on military families when their loved ones are deployed and, in the worse case, lost in action.
