AJR132: Joint Resolution Text

LRB-5630/1

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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly JOINT RESOLUTION 132

February 11, 2020 - Introduced by Representatives Skowronski and Kurtz, cosponsored by Senators Fitzgerald and Roth. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AJR132,1,3 Relating to: recognizing, honoring, and commemorating the 100th anniversary of Disabled American Veterans for its century of providing service to veterans and its continuing efforts.

AJR132,1,5 Whereas, the state of Wisconsin is the home to 363,898 veterans, as well as their families and survivors; and

AJR132,1,8 Whereas, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) was founded on September 25, 1920, and chartered by Congress on June 17, 1932, in recognition of the organization's role as the official voice of the nation's wartime disabled veterans; and

AJR132,1,10 Whereas, in 2020, the DAV celebrates 100 years of serving veterans of the Armed Forces, their families, their survivors, and their communities; and

AJR132,1,14 Whereas, DAV is the largest wartime veterans service organization in the United States made up exclusively of men and women disabled in our nation's defense with approximately 1,000,000 military service-disabled veterans in its membership, including nearly 15,000 members in the state of Wisconsin; and

AJR132,2,5 Whereas, DAV's National Headquarters is located in Cold Spring, Kentucky, and its National Service and Legislation Headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., as well as having 55 Departments and over 1,300 Chapters located throughout the country, including one Department and 43 Chapters in the state of Wisconsin; and

AJR132,2,10 Whereas, since its founding, DAV has served American veterans wounded, injured, or made ill due to military service by advocating for the establishment of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and by fighting in the halls of Congress and state capitols throughout the nation, including the capitol in the state of Wisconsin, for benefits and services for disabled veterans; and

AJR132,2,14 Whereas, in 1920, DAV began representing the interests of veterans, and subsequently developed a professional National Service Officer corps which has made DAV the nation's preeminent provider of claims assistance to America's injured and ill veterans, their families, and their survivors; and

AJR132,2,24 Whereas, DAV cosponsors the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic; has organized a nationwide transportation network, including one in the state of Wisconsin, which provides free transportation to VA medical facilities for injured and ill veterans; has an active Charitable Trust, whose President resides in the state of Wisconsin, which funds the needs of local providers assisting at-risk local veterans; has an active volunteer corps offering thousands of hours of voluntary service to our veterans and their communities, including in the state of Wisconsin, where 78,692 volunteer hours were generated in 2019; and has the Jesse Brown scholarship program which annually offers $75,000 in scholarships to young Americans; and

AJR132,3,6 Whereas, DAV has championed important programs for improving the lives of all veterans, such as the establishment of a cabinet level Department of Veterans Affairs, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, a modernized appeals process, and an advanced appropriation to ensure adequate and timely funding for VA; has championed family caregivers' benefits; and has established the model for today's Vet Centers; and

AJR132,3,10 Whereas, DAV continues to advocate and create awareness for many issues affecting our nation's veterans, such as equitable benefits and services for women veterans; appropriate resources for mental health and suicide prevention services; and benefits for all veterans exposed to toxic substances; now, therefore, be it

AJR132,3,13 Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the legislature recognizes, honors, and commemorates the 100th anniversary of Disabled American Veterans for its century of providing service to veterans and its continuing efforts.

AJR132,3,14 (End)