Veterans
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
This is the first legislation ever introduced in Congress to require the U.S. Department of Defense — the largest institutional consumer of petroleum in the world — to purchase all-electric or zero-emission vehicles.
Garamendi’s bill would apply to all future non-tactical vehicles purchased and leased for the Department of Defense, such as passenger cars, vans, or light-duty trucks. It would not apply to vehicles used in combat or warzones, like Humvees.
“We have a responsibility–as a nation and within our military–to make thoughtful purchases that address the climate crisis,” said Garamendi (D-CA-03). “Transitioning the military’s enormous fleet of passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and vans with internal combustion engines to American-made electric and zero-emission vehicles is a common-sense way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I plan to make this critical legislation a top priority in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. The United States Postal Service and other federal agencies must also transition towards an electric vehicle fleet, and I plan to see the military do the same for non-tactical vehicles,” concluded Congressman Garamendi.
In December 2021, the Biden White House published its Federal Sustainability Plan, indicating that 56 percent of the federal government’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the U.S. Department of Defense. In November 2021.
According to the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. military currently has more than 174,000 nontactical vehicles across the 5 service branches, including the Coast Guard, and the various defense agencies. That is the second-largest share of the overall federal vehicle fleet, after the Postal Service at more than 225,000 vehicles.
The “Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act” (H.R.7379) would:
• For fiscal year 2023 (October 1, 2022) and thereafter, require that all non-tactical vehicles purchased or leased for the U.S. military be electric or zero-emission vehicles, as much as practicable.
• Apply the strongest possible “Buy American” requirements to all non-tactical vehicles purchased or leased for the U.S. military.
• Ensure that electric vehicle components, including batteries, are not sourced from hostile foreign countries like the People's Republic of China or Russia.
• Require that all electric vehicles purchased or leased for the U.S. military employ interoperable charging ports and connectors, per industry standards.
• Apply to both direct procurement by the U.S. Department of Defense and any non-tactical vehicles for which the General Services Administration acts as the procurement or leasing agent, on behalf of the Department of Defense.
• Build upon the $5 billion to convert the federal vehicle fleet to electric vehicles, including non-tactical vehicles used by the DOD, included in the House-passed “Build Back Better Act” (H.R.5376).
National Endorsements: Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and SAFE’s Commanding Heights Initiative, National Electrical Contractors Association, Natural Resources Defense Council; National Mining Association; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs).
The full text of the “Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act” (H.R.7379) is available here.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
SB 1311, jointly authored by Sen. Talamantes Eggman and Pro Tem Atkins, and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, stems from the California Department of Justice’s investigation and prosecution of businesses that have targeted service members and military families.
It also draws from previous discussions between the Attorney General and military personnel, JAG legal assistance attorneys, command financial counselors, and other members of the military and veterans community, including a July 2021 roundtable event at Naval Base San Diego.
If passed, the bill would establish stronger consumer protection laws for California’s service members.
“Military life and deployment place unique demands on service members and their families,” said Bonta. “With SB 1311, we are looking to shore up California’s military consumer protection laws to better serve our military community. I commend Senator Talamantes Eggman and Senate President pro Tempore Atkins for their leadership and efforts to implement stronger consumer protections for our military. Our brave service members and their families deserve nothing but our unwavering support, which is why I am honored to announce my sponsorship of this important legislation.”
“As a veteran myself, and coming from a family with a long history of service, I am familiar with how the very nature of serving in the military creates vulnerabilities to consumer scams and unfair business practices,” said Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman. “This legislation will provide service members with the consumer protections they need and deserve.”
“Given the extraordinary sacrifices veterans, active duty service members, and their families make in service to our nation, they should have confidence that they are protected from unfair and exploitative business practices, and have consumer protections befitting the unique circumstances of their service,” said Pro Tem Toni Atkins. “This bill will go a long way towards strengthening that assurance.”
SB 1311 draws from the Department of Justice’s experience protecting and working with military families in California. The Attorney General’s Office also sponsored Assembly Bill 3212 (Irwin), similar legislation unanimously approved by the Legislature in 2018 to expand consumer protections for California service members. Like that bill, SB 1311 seeks to strengthen California’s existing military consumer protection laws.
If signed into law, SB 1311 would, among other things:
• Establish the right to appear remotely, or through another military member, in small claims cases seeking the return of an improperly withheld security deposit;
• Make it illegal for a business to access the sensitive personal information stored on chip-based military ID cards (called Common Access Cards or CACs), or from using those cards to access sensitive military pay and personnel websites;
• Clarify existing law, which allows members of the Guard and Reserve to defer payments on mortgages and other obligations during a deployment, to ensure that interest is not accrued on a deferred mortgage obligation during the period of deferment;
• Prohibit businesses from offering military discounts that are conditioned on the service member or veteran waiving their rights under federal or state law;
• Amend state law regarding security interests to prevent businesses from taking advantage of a loophole and denying service members the full protections of the federal Military Lending Act;
• Impose enhanced civil penalties for violations of the Unfair Competition Law (UCL) perpetrated against service members and veterans;
• Enhance the ability of service members to terminate auto leases when they are reassigned or deployed; and
• Provide enlisted service members at the rank of E-5 (an Army, Marine Corps, or Space Force Sergeant, an Air Force Staff Sergeant, or a Navy or Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class), or below, who are all too often the targets of predatory auto sales practices, with an automatic 30-day cooling off period for auto purchases and leases to allow them to return the purchased or leased vehicle.
For more information about SB 1311, click here.
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- Written by: Office of Assemblymember James C. Ramos
“I thank Speaker Rendon for this new assignment and the privilege of serving our state’s military and veterans communities,” Ramos said. “I look forward to working even more closely with veterans and armed forces groups from around California in this new role.”
The committee’s primary jurisdictions are the Cal-Vet loan program, state Department of Veterans Affairs, California National Guard and veterans.
“Congratulations Assemblyman James Ramos,” said Colonel James M. Durant III, U. S. Air Force Ret.”Today marks a significant turn in California’s dedication to veterans and Veterans Affairs under your astute and highly effective leadership. You will bring the measure of change and hope that veterans so desperately need from a grateful state and country. I am honored to call you my dear friend and colleague of over 50 years, and I salute you.”
Jeffrey Breiten, past commandant, Marine Corps League Detachment 1459, said, "Assemblymember James Ramos' selection as the chair of the Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee is great news for the 1.8 million veterans who call California home. Assemblymember Ramos has a proven track record of ensuring all California veterans have access to the resources and benefits provided to them by CAL-Vet.” He added, “Congratulations Assemblymember Ramos on your selection, and thank you for your proven commitment to our veterans across this great state."
Ramos proudly represents the 40th Assembly district which includes Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and San Bernardino. He is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature.
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- Written by: Editor
The annual legislation supports all aspects of the United States military, including all personnel, installations, and equipment for our national defense.
The legislation now heads to the United States Senate, which is expected to also pass the bill and send it to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
As chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, Garamendi authored the Readiness Subcommittee’s provisions in the final NDAA. Garamendi also secured funding for several key projects at Travis and Beale Air Force Bases in his Congressional District.
Specifically, the final legislation includes $33 million for Beale’s 940 ARW Squad Operations and Maintenance Complex and provides $13 billion for military construction projects nationwide, building upon the $295.7 million in ongoing military construction projects Garamendi secured for Travis Air Force Base.
Additionally, Garamendi helped secure $20 million in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, or ISR, planning and design funds to help build facilities like the Multi-Doman Operations Complex at Beale Air Force Base.
“I am pleased that Congress has once again come together to address critical issues facing our service members and the more than 1,000 military installations worldwide,” Garamendi said. “As Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee, I am requiring the military to be an ally in the fight against the climate crisis and reduce unnecessary fossil fuel use across the U.S. military. Our bill aggressively identifies and cleans up Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances contamination at military installations to protect our service members and neighboring communities. This issue is close to home for me, as high levels of PFAS contaminants were found at Travis Air Force Base in my district.”
“This year’s NDAA includes strong provisions to reverse the precipitous rise in military training deaths throughout the service branches in recent years, which are avoidable and completely unacceptable. I’ve held three hearings on this matter as Chair of the Readiness Subcommittee, including a May 2021 hearing that included powerful testimony from bereaved families of service members who died due to preventable training mishaps. The Readiness Subcommittee’s contributions to this year’s NDAA will transform the military command’s culture of neglect into a culture of safety by establishing a joint safety council and accident investigation review board to fully investigate training accidents and prevent similar incidents in the future,” Garamendi continued.
“I’m also pleased that several of my amendments to the NDAA to unlock new military resources to help fight wildfires were adopted in the legislation. As California’s wildfire season continues to become longer and deadlier, all available military resources should be utilized to help track and fight fires,” Garamendi continued.
“This year’s NDAA also improves childcare facilities on bases to ensure military families have the quality childcare and daycare support they deserve. Our bill also updates the ‘Tenant’s Bill of Rights’ that I established last year to provide good-quality on-base housing for service members and their families,” Garamendi continued.
“Throughout the NDAA markup process, I fought to support several ‘Buy American’ amendments that were introduced at the hearing to ensure the military uses American materials and workers to the extent possible. I’m pleased that several of those provisions were included in this legislation,” Garamendi concluded.
Specifically, this year’s Readiness Subcommittee’s contributions to the NDAA address:
Climate change and resiliency:
Installation Master-planning: Requires each military service branch to complete installation master plans at two of their most at-risk installations within one year.
Microgrids: Requires the Defense Department to amend the on-base building codes to incorporate microgrids early in the planning process, including renegotiating contracts for existing on-installation renewable energy projects to enhance installation resiliency during power disruptions.
Energy efficiency targets for defense data centers: Requires the DOD to assess energy and water usage at existing data centers and set conservation goals for new data centers.
Requires DOD to assess strategic vulnerabilities to climate change: Adds a climate and extreme weather facility resiliency assessment to the existing annual reporting requirement on the health of the organic industrial base, which supports American manufacturing.
Quality of Life Infrastructure, Family Housing, and Working Mothers
Effective oversight of military privatized housing: Requires that performance evaluations of certain officers and enlisted personnel with duties related to military privatized housing include an assessment of the extent to which the individual exercised effective oversight and leadership of military privatized housing.
Improves child development centers and child care for military families: Requires the military departments to conduct regular safety inspections and develop 10-year facility improvement plans for child development centers on bases.
Facilities Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization projects: Requires the Defense Department to spend at least 5% of total building cost for repairing and improving FSRM facilities like barracks and dormitories.
Supports active-duty Coast Guard members: Adds the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) society to the list of mutual aid societies eligible to receive enhanced support from a military organization.
Preventing avoidable training deaths and building a culture of safety:
New Joint Safety Council: Establishes a DOD Joint Safety Council responsible for overseeing all operational safety matters and establishing better safety standards.
Accident Investigation Review Board: Establishes a DOD Accident Investigation Review Board to improve oversight and independent review of mishap investigations.
Plan to prevent tactical vehicle training accidents: Requires the Army and Marine Corps to implement the recommendations contained in the Government Accountability Offices’ investigative report on tactical vehicle mishaps.
Environmental Cleanup and PFAS Policy:
AFFF spill prevention: Requires best practices to prevent or mitigate AFFF spills.
National Guard Access to Defense Environmental Cleanup Funds: Allows DOD funding to be used for all environmental restoration and cleanup activities at National Guard installations, which are jointly controlled by the military and state governments.
Public Disclosure of Results of DOD Testing for PFAS: Builds on provisions from previous NDAAs to increase transparency with defense communities impacted by PFAS contamination. Includes Reps. Garamendi and Elissa Slotkin’s (D-MI) “Military PFAS Testing Disclosure Act” (H.R.4339).
Contested logistics and operational energy:
Contested Logistics Working Group: Creates a working group of program planners, energy staff, joint staff, and geographic combatant commands to enhance the integration of military department energy initiatives into operational planning and platform development.
Operational energy: Requires DOD to assess and report on alternative fuels, including hydrogen, that can be used by the military instead of fossil fuels.
Global bulk fuel management and delivery: Requires the Secretary of Defense to designate a Combatant Command as the agency responsible for global bulk fuel storage, delivery, and distribution; directs the so-designated Combatant Command to conduct a strategy on the infrastructure and programs necessary to optimally support global bulk fuel management of the Department of Defense.
Supports military working dogs: Includes Congressman Garamendi’s “Support Our Military Working Dogs Act” (H.R.1739), which directs DOD to pay fees associated with the transfer of adopted dogs to the adoption agency or individual; Also allows the DOD’s Joint Trauma Education and Training Directorate to provide veterinary care and services for military working dogs and their veterinary caretakers.
Burn pits: Prohibit the use of open-air burn pits during overseas contingency operations unless an exemption is issued by the Secretary of Defense for a particular location and exigent reason. Improves public transparency of burn pits usage by requiring Congressional notification detailing the location, size, duration, and need of the burn pit, the number of personnel assigned to the location, and the personal protective equipment or other methods that will be used by those personnel to mitigate the health effects of said pit.
Additionally, Garamendi successfully added the following provisions to the NDAA at Armed Services Committee markup or on the House floor in September:
Combating wildfires: Garamendi successfully added the following amendments from his “Military Support for Fighting Wildfires Act” (H.R.5560) to the NDAA to allow U.S. military assets to be used in the fight against wildfires throughout the nation:
• Reauthorizing the FireGuard program with the California National Guard to use satellite tracking technology to track and fight California’s wildfires.
• Directing the Department of Defense to implement its own recommendations on improving the use of unmanned aircraft systems by the National Guard, from Congressionally directed report.
• Requiring the DOD to include the accounting of costs for wildfire response in the annual budget request to Congress, including military support for states and FEMA/federal land management agencies. Current law only requires DOD to account for climate adaptation and mitigation costs on U.S. military installations in the President’s annual budget request.
• Removing the arbitrary cap on the number of excess military aircraft that DOD may transfer at no cost to DHS (FEMA) or the U.S. Forest Service for firefighting. Current law only allows DOD to transfer 7 excess military aircraft. Requires an annual report to Congress by DOD on transfers of excess military aircraft authorized by prior NDAA’s.
• Requiring the DOD/OMB to review existing authorities for using Air Force and Air National Guard modular airborne fire-fighting systems and other military assets to fight wildfires. Then requires an update to the 2004 Congressionally directed report on any changes to the law needed to enhance those authorities.
Civil Reserve Air Fleet: Garamendi also successfully added an amendment to the legislation that strengthens transparency and oversight of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) to ensure that military air charter contracts go to US-based airlines.
Honoring veterans: Garamendi successfully added an amendment to the legislation that authorizes the Maritime Administrator to use appropriated funds to purchase duplicate medals authorized under Congressman Garamendi’s Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–125). This awards the Congressional Gold Medal — one of our nation’s highest honors — to the Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II.
Creating local jobs: The legislation includes Reps. Garamendi and Andy Kim’s (D-NJ) “Put Our Neighbors to Work Act” (H.R.6764). This legislation creates more local jobs for military construction projects by increasing transparency and awareness of contracting and subcontracting business opportunities for multi-million-dollar military construction projects.
DOD Joint Task Forces on Terrorism and Transnational Crime: Extends the U.S. Department of Defense’s authority to interagency Joint Task Forces coordinate actions by the military and federal agencies on counter-narcotics, counterterrorism, or counter-transnational organized crime activities. Congressman Garamendi has introduced legislation (H.R.5862) to permanently reauthorize these DOD Joint Task Forces and expand them to combat wildfire poaching and trafficking.
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- Written by: Editor
Ramos said military retirees bring benefits such as stability, job skills used in second careers and federal funding.
“These men and women have served our nation in a variety of capacities and they and their families have frequently performed their service at great personal sacrifice. California needs to more fully acknowledge the contributions they make,” Ramos said.
As currently conceived, the exemption would apply to a taxpayer over 60 years of age who has served in the Armed Forces of the United States, the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps.
The exemption would begin on or after January 2023 and before January 2033.
“California’s military retirees appreciate the fact that Assemblyman Ramos has stepped forward to carry this bill,” said Jeff Breiten, a Marine Corps veteran from Redlands who is a board member of the California Council of Chapters of the Military Officers Association of America, past commandant of the Redlands Detachment of the Marine Corps League and a member of American Legion Post 106.
“This legislation will not only provide a well-earned benefit to those who served our country for 20 years or more, it will also help retain and attract to California these retirees who will lend their skills during second careers in a variety of key industries and professions across the great state of California,” said Breiten.
“Military retirees have a steady income and bring stability to the community,” said Fred Green, president of CALMOAA and a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander. “It should be noted that not all military retirees collect their retirement immediately. Reservist and National Guard members collect retirement at age 60. Regardless, we continue to support our community and our economy after our retirement from the military.”
He added, “We contribute to job growth and boost sales tax revenues. Thirty states understand this and do not tax military retirement income. Most military retirees pursue second careers where they utilize their training, technical skills, leadership, and knowledge. After my service in the Navy as an engineer, I became an elementary school teacher and adjunct college professor to give back to my community.”
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- Written by: Editor
This marks the start of important work to restore and maintain the cemetery. It follows specific authority under Thompson’s legislation passed last year as part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, Conference Report.
“The Mare Island Cemetery is a vital piece of our nation’s history and is the final resting place for hundreds of brave and honorable service members. Though it’s sadly fallen into disrepair in recent years, I’m glad the VA is taking this critical first step toward the restoration and maintenance of this hallowed ground. This announcement follows guidance under legislation I authored that was signed into law at the start of the year and is great news as we work to return the space to its rightful honor for both the veterans buried there and those who want to visit for years to come,” Thompson said.
First introduced in 2018, Thompson’s legislation directed the secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek out an agreement with the city of Vallejo, under which the city would transfer control of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery to the VA.
The cemetery will specifically be placed under the purview of the National Cemetery Administration.
The VA will pay no fee to acquire the land, but will assume the obligation of maintaining the cemetery in the future.
That bill became law on Jan. 1, 2021 and you can click here to read the text of the legislation.
Thompson, a Vietnam veteran, represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
Participants came from 29 states and are VA Center for Verification and Evaluation verified, have three to five years in business and have past performance as a prime or subcontractor.
“It’s important we provide an environment where women entrepreneurs can receive strategic and deliberate education, empowerment, engagement and access to enhance their businesses,” said VA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Executive Director Sharon Ridley. "Through entrepreneurship, women Veterans have an opportunity to leverage their military and leadership skills to increase and create economic opportunities.”
Classes are focused on relationship building, product/market analysis, business development and growth preparation.
Participants meet in small groups and receive coaching from industry leaders such as AstraZeneca and Halfaker & Associates and OptumServe.
The program culminates with a pitch competition in October. The participant with the winning pitch will receive a PenFed Foundation grant to be used to grow their business.
“We have a shared goal: to empower women veterans and create access to capital and systems to support them,” said PenFed Foundation President and retired U.S. Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, Jr. “We believe in creating a business ecosystem that establishes service in the U.S. military as the most reliable pathway to successful entrepreneurship."
Learn more about the Veteran Entrepreneur Investment Program.
Learn more about VA’s mission to empower and educate Women Veteran entrepreneurs for success and economic opportunities at the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
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- Written by: San Francisco VA Health Care System
This is one of 50 public virtual listening sessions across the country from March through June 2021 to hear from veterans on how to design a health care system of the future and grow services for veterans in a way that reinforces VA’s role as a leader in the U.S. health care system.
“We want to hear from veterans and other stakeholders in the communities VA serves and understand their vision for VA health care,” said SFVAHCS Director Bonnie Graham. “VA’s goal is to collaborate closely with veterans and other stakeholders to build the best VA health care system that meets the needs of veterans today and for generations to come.”
These listening sessions represent an exciting opportunity for Veterans to help VA reimagine how VA delivers care in an equitable, high quality, veteran-centered manner and develop a plan for investing in VA’s aging infrastructure.
The feedback will be used to develop the recommendations VA submits to the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission in January 2022.
The AIR Commission will also conduct public hearings as part of their review of VA’s recommendations before submitting its recommendations to the President and Congress for review and approval in 2023.
To register for SFVAHCS’ listening session, please visit https://www.va.gov/HEALTHPOLICYPLANNING/listening.asp.
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- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
VA strives to provide quality care and services to all Veterans regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity but a 2019 Government Accountability Office report reveals that veterans from underserved communities continue to face barriers to accessing VA health services.
“Systemic barriers that underserved communities face many times negatively impact veterans,” said McDonough. “In order to overcome many of these barriers, VA must tap into its vast diversity and use it as a major source of strength. The implementation of this task force will help the department become the inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible team our veterans, their families, survivors and caregivers deserve.”
The task force is charged with providing concrete and actionable recommendations addressing inclusion, diversity, equity and access to the secretary no later than July 31, and will focus on five objectives:
– Ensure execution of requirements outlined in Executive Order 13985 and any other subsequent and relevant executive orders.
– Examine and develop VA’s strategic mission, goals and objectives on inclusion, diversity, equity and access.
– Conduct a whole-of-VA review of policies, programming, training and strategic communications for workforce and veterans’ initiatives.
– Identify opportunities to leverage data to inform and operationalize inclusion, diversity, equity and access.
– Develop institutional access points for underserved communities to establish strategic partnerships with VA.
Led by the chair, Deputy Chief of Staff and White House Liaison Chris Diaz — additional members of the task force include:
– Assistant Under Secretary for Health and Clinical Services Kameron Matthews M.D.
– Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations Cheryl Rawls.
– Deputy Chief Veterans Experience Officer Barbara Morton.
– Executive Director for Investigations/Acting Deputy Executive Director Hansel Cordeiro.
– Executive Director of the National Center for Organizational Development Maureen Marks, Ph.D.
– Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Melissa Bryant.
– Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Veteran Service Organizations Liaison Ray Kelley.
– Acting Executive Director for the Center for Minority Veterans Dennis May.
– Acting Executive Director for the Center for Women Veterans Elizabeth Estabrooks.
– Chief of Staff at the Office of Enterprise Integration Shana Love-Holmon.
– Clinical Implementation Lead for PRIDE Tiffany Lange, Psy.D.
– Executive Director for the Center for Innovation Ryan Vega, M.D.
– Executive Director for Human Capital Management Lisa Thomas, Ph.D.
– Special Counsel Tahmika Ruth Jackson, JD, LL.M.
– Director of the Office of Tribal Government Relations Stephanie Birdwell.
– Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy White House Liaison James Anderson (facilitator).
The task force recommendations will aim to eliminate barriers so that all veterans have equal treatment and experiences when interacting with VA. More to follow at the conclusion of the 120-day period.
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