The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ® An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress May/June 2005 CREDENTIALS Committee Report     The Door Keeper   BY JIM BLOUNT, CHAIR The Credentials Committee insures the proper credentialing of delegates to the VVA National Convention and helps seat the delegates in accordance with the VVA Constitution. The committee consists of a chair and the nine VVA Regional Directors. CREDENTIALING The VVA member strength as of February 28 determines the chapter and state council delegate count for the Convention. No transfers of VVA members shall be authorized 90 days prior to the start of the Convention until after the end of the Convention. All challenges at the Convention will be brought to the attention of the Credentials Committee chair. The chair will confer with the applicable regional director, state council president, and VVA membership staff for clarification of a delegate’s credentials. If a challenge cannot be resolved at that level, a meeting of the Credentials Committee will convene and arbitrate. If VVA national has not received a copy of a state council or a chapter’s annual financial report, that state council or chapter’s delegates will not be credentialed. They will not be allowed on the Convention floor until the annual financial report has been received. Annual financial reports may be turned in at Convention. It is recommended to bring a copy of the annual financial report to the Convention. The Credentials chair will make an oral report each morning to the assembled delegates, notifying them of the total number of delegates seated that day. SEATING The Credentials Committee is responsible for the setup of delegate chairs on the Convention floor. The host region is assigned the center front section, with the host state seated in the front row or rows. The Credentials chair then draws numbers for each region. All efforts are made to keep region seating intact. Adjustments may have to be made in the order drawn depending on the size of the region and the space available. Resolution of this issue is the responsibility of the Credentials chair. THE BUSINESS MEETING The Credentials Committee is responsible for establishing and certifying absences of delegates during the business meeting. When the delegates are in session, the Committee maintains an easily identifiable presence on the Convention floor. In the event a delegate is unable to attend, or is excused during the Convention, his or her chapter or state council may register an alternate to be credentialed and seated as a delegate, with full powers to act in the stead of the delegate who has been excused.

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