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Resolutions COMMITTEE REPORT
BY FRED ELLIOTT, CHAIR
Another National Convention has come and gone, and the delegates
have spoken. The delegates have provided VVA with its marching
orders for the next two years. Working with VVA’s
committees and task forces, the delegates voted to retire
those resolutions no longer necessary, amend those resolutions
that needed updating, and approve new resolutions they
felt were important to VVA’s mission.
That being said,
VVA has a lot of work to do before we meet at Convention
again in 2009.
Eight Resolutions were retired
by the delegates: AO-3-03: State Agent Orange/Dioxin Programs;
AO-14-99: Pine Bluff Arsenal; AO-15-03: Additional Benefits
and Services to Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida;
G-3-95: VVA Support for the National Gulf War Resource Center;
M-3-03: Membership Growth and Retention; M-5-05: Support
Creation of Southwest Asia Veterans Organization; HTF-2-05: “Fair
Share” of
Funding for Homeless Veterans Programs and Services; HTF-3-
05: Realignment of Homeless Veterans Programs Currently Managed
within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs System.
These
Resolutions were retired because the sponsoring committees
or task forces and the Convention delegates agreed that the
intent of the Resolutions had been fulfilled and there was
no further action to be taken.
Following is a list of those
Resolutions that were amended by committee and approved by
the Convention delegates. In all cases, the amendments did
not alter the original intent of the Resolution but expanded
the issue section to be more comprehensive, or updated the
background section, or added to the resolved portion to be
able to take into consideration any changes that may have
occurred in the field since the Resolution’s inception.
E-1-07: Jobs in the Public Sector; E-18-07: A Comprehensive
Employment Resource Development Program; P-11-07 Support
for Chapel Recognition Program; HTF-1-07: Homeless Veterans
as a Special Needs Population; HTF-4-07: Homeless Veteran
Housing and Urban Development Transitional and Supportive
Services Only Funding.
Seven new
Resolutions were adopted by the Convention delegates:
E-19-07:
A Meaningful Job at a Living Wage
Resolved that: Vietnam Veterans of America takes the following
positions:
- VVA calls on all federal agencies to implement
to the highest degree the “Welcome Home To Work,” “Hire
a Vet First,” and “Jobs for Veterans Act.” Agencies,
and their individual responsible managers, must be held
accountable for the implementation of written policy and
GAO oversight. The means of accountability and penalties
must be published, widely distributed, and implemented
throughout all federal agencies.
- Because returning veterans have problems finding
work and getting necessary medical assistance for themselves
and their families, VVA will make available the “VVA
Guide to Veterans Employment,” “VVA Guide to
Veterans Preference,” “VVA Guide to Vocational
Rehabilitation,” “VVA
Guide to Veterans Entrepreneurship,” “VVA Guide
to PTSD,” and information on Women in Service Issues
and Homeless Veterans programs.
E-20-07: 30th Anniversary
of the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP)
Resolved that: Vietnam Veterans of America takes the following
positions:
- VVA calls on all State Councils and Chapters
to show their appreciation for all DVOP personnel and assist
in any ceremonies done in their honor.
- VVA will recognize
the DVOP program in publicity in The VVA Veteran, on the
VVA web page, and other means; and will provide financial
assistance through a cost center set up for donations.
Such financial assistance will not exceed the amount of
donations received for these events.
HTF-5-07:
Homeless Veterans HUD/VA Supportive Housing Funding
Resolved that: Vietnam Veterans of America urges HUD to comply
with Section 710 of P.L. 109-461 by requesting the allocation
of funds at the level necessary to provide for the total
number of rental assistance vouchers for homeless veterans.
HTF-6-07:
VA Homeless Grant and Per Diem Funding
Resolved that: Vietnam Veterans of America urges the Department
of Veterans Affairs, Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program,
to provide “payment for services” rather than
the “reimbursement for services” it presently
provides. Additionally, VVA supports and seeks legislation
to establish Supportive Services Assistance Grants for VA
Homeless Grant and Per Diem Service Center Grant Awardees.
P-12-07:
Public Awareness for Veterans Benefits Campaign
Resolved that: The members of VVA call for the Public Affairs
Committee to do whatever is necessary to budget at least
$20,000 in the 2008 budget to advertise to the membership
and to the public and to publicize the availability of veterans’ benefits
and how to claim them. Further, the membership instructs
the leadership to encourage the chapters to publicize the
availability of service officers to file claims. We further
request that a letter be sent to the Veterans Affairs Department
with a copy of this resolution.
P-13-07: Gold Star Mothers
National Monument
Resolved that: Vietnam Veterans of America applauds our Gold
Star Mothers and supports the development and construction
of an American Gold Star Mothers National Monument in Washington,
D.C. Further, each chapter and state council is encouraged
to reach out to the Gold Star Mothers in their communities
and to assist in the fund-raising needed to construct the
monument.
PTSD-10-07: PTSD Among America’s
Military Women Veterans
Resolved that: VVA shall seek to insure that the VA has both
the ability and the capacity to provide gender-specific in-patient
and out-patient care and treatment for both combat and sexual
trauma-related PTSD, and that psychosocial services are fully
integrated into the primary care provided to women veterans.
To read the entire text of the new, amended, and continuing
Resolutions as adopted by the delegates to VVA’s 13th
National Convention, go to VVA’s web site at http://www.vva.org/OrgDocs/2007Resolutions-fnl.pdf
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2008, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8605 Cameron
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