An Unfinished Obligation  

BY JACK McMANUS

The Government Affairs column and the “Speak Out!” essay in this issue contain solid information about the Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act of 2024. The bill, named for the remarkable Molly Loomis, is co-sponsored by Sens. John Tester (D-Mont.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

We applaud them for placing the wellbeing and critical health needs of the children of military veterans of all generations above divisive partisan politics.

The bill is essentially a rehash of the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015, which VVA fought long and hard for, but which the VA has refused to implement.

The difference between the bills is that the Molly Loomis Act focuses on research to be performed by scientists in the broader federal medical research community rather than by the more intransigent VA.

We have essentially three months to get this bill through the 118th Congress while we still have strong bipartisan support. We urge all veterans to answer the call on behalf of the children and contact their members of Congress to urge them to sign on to the Molly Loomis Act.

Below you will find a QR code for the VVA survey on National Service. The survey is voluntary, takes five minutes to complete, and will determine if you, our members, are in favor of leaving as part of our legacy an official position on National Service. If the survey shows that the membership believes that VVA ought to do so, a resolution will be introduced at the 2025 National Convention and the delegates will make the final decision.

2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010