LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the New York State Congressional deleg-
ation to support the passage of S.1950, the Veterans Health and Benefits
and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014

WHEREAS, The United States Senate bill 1950, The Veterans Health and
Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act, would expand and
improve healthcare and services to all generations of veterans and their
families including the addition of benefits for the children of veterans
born with spina bifida, and the construction of community based out-pa-
tient clinics which will serve veterans in rural and underserved commu-
nities that lack access to veterans services; and
WHEREAS, Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is a serious problem for both
male and female service members which, in many cases, goes unreported by
returning veterans and, as many as one in 25 male veterans and one in
three female veterans is the victim of some form of MST while on active
duty; and
WHEREAS, The Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay
Restoration Act would expand access to counseling, healthcare services,
and mental health treatment for victims of military sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, Veterans face the prospect of lost or delayed benefits in the
event of a Federal government shutdown; and
WHEREAS, The Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay
Restoration Act would provide advanced appropriations for all mandatory
accounts to ensure veterans, their families, and surviving dependents
continue to be compensated during or after any potential congressional
budget standoff or government shutdown; and
WHEREAS, Returning veterans face an uncertain job market which
frequently requires a college degree, certification, or technical train-
ing; and
WHEREAS, The Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay
Restoration Act expands educational opportunities for transitioning
veterans by extending the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, secur-
ing in-state tuition rates for returning vets, expanding federal employ-
ment opportunities for veterans while also increasing contracting and
subcontracting participation goals for federal departments and agencies
for veteran owned small businesses; and
WHEREAS, The bi-partisan budget agreement, passed in December 2013,
cut Cost of Living Increases (COLA) by one percent for retired service
members, amounting to a substantial reduction in retirement benefits for
our service men and women; and
WHEREAS, The Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay
Restoration Act restores the full one percent COLA reduction ensuring
the Nation's budget is not balanced at the expense of our military men
and women; and
WHEREAS, The United States Senate bill 1950, Veterans Health and Bene-
fits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act is fully supported by
our nation's most active and engaged veterans advocacy organizations
including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, and Viet-
nam Veterans of America, which represent many of these organizations
foremost legislative priorities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States, be and hereby is
respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to support the
passage of S.1950, the Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retire-
ment Pay Restoration Act of 2014; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the President of the Senate of the United States, the Speaker

of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the Congress of
the United States from the State of New York.