Breaking News

Freedom Caucus Derails Pentagon Spending Bill, Foreshowing Shutdown 

Republican leaders on Wednesday were unable to muster the votes needed to pass the House’s annual Pentagon spending legislation amid a revolt from the right-wing Freedom Caucus, despite numerous conservative policy riders on the bill.

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Deferred Retirements, Unemployed Spouses, Field Officers Working As Generals: Democrats' Memo Details Effects Of Tuberville Blocking Military Promotions

At least 25 three- and four-star officers were forced to delay retirements to ensure continuity of command due to a Republican senator's months-long blockade against hundreds of military promotions, according to a new memo from Senate Democrats.

To read more, please click here.

VA Electronic Health Record Rollout Unlikely To Resume For A Year After Being Derailed By Problems

The Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday it may resume agency-wide adoption of its new electronic health records system next summer, after it was placed on hold in April due to problems involving patient health and safety and frustration among users.

To read more, please click here.

AFSA On The Hill

VA And National Cancer Institute Announce Historic Data-Sharing Partnership To Better Understand And Treat Cancer Among Veterans 

By: Wesley R. Walls | VA.Gov

Yesterday, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a historic partnership with the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute to share cancer registry information. This is a significant advancement in the nation’s fight against cancer that will help medical professionals better research, understand, and ultimately treat cancer among Veterans and all Americans. This historic agreement advances President Biden’s Unity Agenda and drives progress toward the goals of Biden Cancer Moonshot.

Specifically, VA and NCI will now exchange cancer diagnosis and treatment data, giving VA access to critical data for Veteran cancer diagnoses and treatments occurring outside VA’s immediate purview. This will help VA study the impact of cancer on the Veteran community — including cancer caused by toxic exposures such as burn pits or Agent Orange — to determine trends and research potential treatments. As always, this partnership will respect Veteran data privacy. 

“This historic partnership will help VA better understand and treat cancer among Veterans — while also helping the National Cancer Institute improve cancer treatment options for all Americans,” said VA’s Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, M.D. “Cancer touches and takes the lives of far too many Americans every year, but — by working together — we are fighting to end cancer as we know it.”

“The strategic exchange and curation of our nation’s cancer registry data will leverage the strengths of both agencies to the gain of every person facing a cancer diagnosis,” said Director, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, NCI Katrina Goddard, Ph.D.

This effort builds on VA and the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive efforts to care for Veterans with cancer. In July, VA expanded cancer risk assessments and mammograms (as clinically appropriate) for Veterans under 40, regardless of age, symptoms, family history, or whether they are enrolled in VA health care. As a part of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, VA has also prioritized claims processing for Veterans with cancer — delivering nearly $215 million in PACT Act benefits to Veterans with cancer in the first year of the PACT Act alone.

This exchange will serve a critical role in cancer treatment efforts, allowing VA leadership and others to understand the impact of treatments nationwide. This data will also create new opportunities for the research community to support all patients facing a cancer diagnosis, ultimately reducing cancer’s burden on the nation.   

For more information on cancer care at VA, visit cancer.va.gov.

Legislative Action Center

Below are the campaigns that are currently located on our Action Center. Please take no more than 5-10 minutes to scan through each of the campaigns and click on the custom links provided below. 

NEW: Support the Sergeant First Class Michael Clark TRICARE Reserve Parity Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107490/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Amend existing law to ensure three years of benefits for Guard and Reserve families, as is standard for active duty military.
• Bringing parity for guard and reserve survivor benefits to that of active-duty personnel.

NEW: Support the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2023!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107499/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Modifies the extension of dependent coverage under TRICARE by allowing a dependent at the age of 26 to be covered without an additional premium.  
• Authorizes such coverage of dependents without a premium regardless of whether they are eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored plan.

NEW: Support the Mental Health For Military Children Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107509/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Would direct the DoD to establish a pilot program to provide routine mental health screenings or check-ups for common disorders for children ages 3-17, including questions about patients' mood, emotional state, habits, and behaviors.
• To ensure that children of military families who are at a greater risk for mental and behavioral health problems than the general population, have access to mental health screenings and check-ups at Department of Defense Education Activity schools (DoDEA). 

NEW: Support the Revisit Pay Equity Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107467/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Increases the rate of the differential wage payment tax credit from 20% to 50% and requires that the maximum dollar amount of such credit be adjusted for inflation after 2023. 
• The credit is allowed to employers for their employees who are active duty members of the uniformed services. 

Support the Military Spouse Hiring Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/103707/Respond

Legislation Summary

• The Military Spouse Hiring Act would encourage companies to employ military spouses, who frequently face disproportionate impediments in the job market, by extending the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include them. 
• Intends to help military spouses find better work opportunities. 

Support the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/93860/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Authorizes veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to concurrently receive both retired pay and disability compensation. 
• Makes qualified disability retirees with less than 20 years of retirement-creditable service eligible for concurrent receipt, subject to specified reductions in retired pay.

Support the Major Richard Star Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/93862/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Qualify approximately 42,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries to concurrently receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation. 
• Provide total offset relief to veterans who suffered combat injuries or illnesses who were medically retired with less than twenty years of service.

Support the Retired Pay Restoration Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/92798/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability.
• Extends full concurrent receipt eligibility to individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability.

Support the Military Family Nutrition Access Act of 2023!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/103672/Respond

Legislation Summary

• The Military Family Nutrition Access Act was created to aid military families with active duty members who are facing food insecurity. 
• By eliminating Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the income calculations used to establish eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the bipartisan bill will combat food insecurity. 
• Military personnel risk their life to protect our nation; they shouldn't have to worry about providing for their families. 

Support the Not Just a Number Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/103681/Respond

Legislation Summary

• The Not Just a Number Act would oblige the VA to look into how veterans use their benefits in their yearly report on suicide prevention in order to assess the connection between VA benefits and suicide outcomes. 
• In its fight against veteran suicides, the VA evaluates which VA benefits have the best impact on preventing suicide and requires the Department to submit recommendations for an increase in such benefits.

If you have any questions, please reach out to AFSA's Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.

AFSA Membership Information

Have You Read The Latest AFSA Magazine?

This edition features Port Mortuary and America’s Missing Heroes, Living with Bipolar Disorder in the Military, Fly-By Wire Defense and AFSA’s American Award Recipient – Don Ward. Read, download, print and share: https://www.hqafsa.org/fallmagazine.html

Greetings AFSA Division and Chapter Leadership,

We are pleased to share the AFSA Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay procedures and marketing materials to help share the process with our members, your membership and potential new recruits.

The Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay program creates an opportunity to JOIN AFSA or RENEW a membership by making a $36 once-a-year/every-year auto payment, or a $4-each-month/every- month auto payment. The $36 once-a-year option is set at $36, and the $4-a-month option includes a bank processing fee of $1 each month.

Review the two ways to enroll, the benefits to using the auto-pay option, and the marketing materials to help share the details of this program and ensure its success.

For more information, please click here.

For questions, please contact AFSAHQ Member & Field team at 800-638-0594 x 288.

Please Update Your Contact Information Today!

Dear Air Force Sergeants Association Member,

In order for the AFSA to effectively communicate with our members, it is essential to ensure we have your current and / or valid e-mail address. 
 
We are in the process of updating our records and need your help! Please take a moment to ensure that we have your most current mail and email address (no .mil's); and accurate membership listing information.

We've made it easy, as you can update your information in either one of three ways: 

1. Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
2. Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
3. Visit www.hqafsa.org and select the UPDATE button on the right

We thank you in advance for your support and prompt updates.

And That's The Way It Is...

In sum, votes on the legislation's procedural rules had been scheduled by House Republicans for Wednesday but were canceled due to opposition from the Freedom Caucus.
As the Freedom Caucus refuses to advance any appropriations bills or a short-term funding extension unless they secure non-defense spending cuts at levels even lower than what Congress agreed to in May's debt ceiling deal, the delay in passing the House's $826 billion Pentagon funding legislation highlights the threat of a government shutdown.

In addition, Sen. Tommy Tuberville's refusal to confirm nominees for general and flag officers has had a number of negative repercussions, which are outlined in a report that Democratic senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee distributed on Tuesday evening. The memo also includes personal accounts of suffering. Tuberville, a member of the committee, is against a Pentagon policy that permits troops to take time off work and pay for travel expenses for abortions.

Military authorities have said the Tuberville blockade reduces the military's performance in part by making military families more stressed, although they have rarely given concrete examples of how this has harmed families.

And lastly, VA officials informed members of Congress that if the department advances on a number of objectives, including a successful launch in March at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Illinois, the department may resume implementing the Oracle Cerner system across 166 additional hospitals in 2024.

This week, hearings were set by the House Veterans Affairs Committee and a House Appropriations subcommittee to get the latest information on the $10 billion Oracle Cerner Millennium records system, which is presently only in use at five VA facilities in the Pacific Northwest and Ohio.
 

And that's the way it is for Thursday, September  14, 2023.

Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to the coronavirus, veterans, active-duty members, guards and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!