03-11-2022, 08:44 PM
A bill sponsored by a Marine veteran in Congress could bring Department of Veterans Affairs benefits
closer to Native American veterans at Tribal Colleges and Universities, or TCUs. The Native VetSuccess
at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act , H.R. 2878, passed the House and was referred
to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on 19 MAY. The bill would increase funding for the Veteran
Technology Education Course, or VET TEC, program; bolster student veteran housing benefits; and enable
partnerships between the VA and nonprofit organizations, states, tribes and localities to fight veteran
homelessness.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) reintroduced the bill in the House on 28 APR, along with co-sponsors Rep.
Dusty Johnson (R-SD) Rep. Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK). "H.R. 2878 helps us
keep our promise to Native veterans, a group that has fought for this country in every war since the
American Revolution," Gallego, a Marine Corps combat veteran and member of the House Veterans Affairs
Committee, said in a statement after the bill passed that chamber. "I am proud to have worked across the
aisle to assemble this legislative package to help improve access to economic and educational opportunities
for veteran communities. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get it signed into
law."
Approximately 14,627 active-duty service members identify as American Indian or Alaska Native,
according to a 2019 demographics report from the Defense Department. O'Halleran told Military.com that
Native American vets have played a vital role in the U.S. military. "Our veterans have done so much for
our country, and Native Americans have had the highest level of participation in our military on a per capita
basis throughout America's history," he said. "We need to acknowledge that, but the best thing we can do
for our veterans is to make sure they're highly educated, and help them and their families out." O'Halleran
represents Arizona's 1st Congressional District, where 22.3% of residents are Native American, according
to 2018 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
"We have veterans that have to travel five hours one way to get care and then turn around and go five
hours back in the same day," O'Halleran told Military.com. "Even with the added funding that we've seen,
it still hasn't gotten to a level where a veteran, whether on tribal lands or in rural America, is getting treated
the same as a veteran in urban environments. They need to be able to get the benefits that they deserve."
Native American veterans face unique challenges as they transition from military to civilian life, Johnson
said in a statement to Military.com. "Currently, at TCUs, there is no specific programming to help Native
Veterans make the transition from active duty to college life," he said. "By expanding the already successful
VetSuccess on Campus program to TCUs, Native veterans will be able to access on-campus benefits
assistance and counseling that other veterans currently benefit from." Johnson said he decided to co-sponsor
the bill because "educational … programs are critical to the long-term success of our Native veterans."
Moving forward, O'Halleran said that the government "needs to understand that they have to get out
there" and proactively reach out to Native veterans. "There's a fairness issue, and we need to make sure
that people start to understand that we have to reach out to our veterans. You can't just sit in Phoenix or
Tucson and say, 'Oh, we have a hospital here, or we have a program here," he said. "We need to continue
down the path of treating our veterans in these tribal and rural areas to the same level as we treat people in
the rest of America."
Refer to https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-cong...-bill/2878 to see the bill details and latest
status.
closer to Native American veterans at Tribal Colleges and Universities, or TCUs. The Native VetSuccess
at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act , H.R. 2878, passed the House and was referred
to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on 19 MAY. The bill would increase funding for the Veteran
Technology Education Course, or VET TEC, program; bolster student veteran housing benefits; and enable
partnerships between the VA and nonprofit organizations, states, tribes and localities to fight veteran
homelessness.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) reintroduced the bill in the House on 28 APR, along with co-sponsors Rep.
Dusty Johnson (R-SD) Rep. Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK). "H.R. 2878 helps us
keep our promise to Native veterans, a group that has fought for this country in every war since the
American Revolution," Gallego, a Marine Corps combat veteran and member of the House Veterans Affairs
Committee, said in a statement after the bill passed that chamber. "I am proud to have worked across the
aisle to assemble this legislative package to help improve access to economic and educational opportunities
for veteran communities. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get it signed into
law."
Approximately 14,627 active-duty service members identify as American Indian or Alaska Native,
according to a 2019 demographics report from the Defense Department. O'Halleran told Military.com that
Native American vets have played a vital role in the U.S. military. "Our veterans have done so much for
our country, and Native Americans have had the highest level of participation in our military on a per capita
basis throughout America's history," he said. "We need to acknowledge that, but the best thing we can do
for our veterans is to make sure they're highly educated, and help them and their families out." O'Halleran
represents Arizona's 1st Congressional District, where 22.3% of residents are Native American, according
to 2018 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
"We have veterans that have to travel five hours one way to get care and then turn around and go five
hours back in the same day," O'Halleran told Military.com. "Even with the added funding that we've seen,
it still hasn't gotten to a level where a veteran, whether on tribal lands or in rural America, is getting treated
the same as a veteran in urban environments. They need to be able to get the benefits that they deserve."
Native American veterans face unique challenges as they transition from military to civilian life, Johnson
said in a statement to Military.com. "Currently, at TCUs, there is no specific programming to help Native
Veterans make the transition from active duty to college life," he said. "By expanding the already successful
VetSuccess on Campus program to TCUs, Native veterans will be able to access on-campus benefits
assistance and counseling that other veterans currently benefit from." Johnson said he decided to co-sponsor
the bill because "educational … programs are critical to the long-term success of our Native veterans."
Moving forward, O'Halleran said that the government "needs to understand that they have to get out
there" and proactively reach out to Native veterans. "There's a fairness issue, and we need to make sure
that people start to understand that we have to reach out to our veterans. You can't just sit in Phoenix or
Tucson and say, 'Oh, we have a hospital here, or we have a program here," he said. "We need to continue
down the path of treating our veterans in these tribal and rural areas to the same level as we treat people in
the rest of America."
Refer to https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-cong...-bill/2878 to see the bill details and latest
status.