HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 22
(By Delegates Iaquinta, Fleischauer, Barill, Espinosa,
Gearheart, Howell, Jones, Kinsey, Stephens,
Walker and Azinger )
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to
continue studying the needs, challenges, and issues facing
West Virginia military veterans, West Virginia citizens
serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, the West
Virginia National Guard and other military affairs of West
Virginia.
Whereas, West Virginia has a proud heritage of military service
members, veterans, and military family members; and
Whereas, West Virginia is home to more military service members
and veterans per capita than any other state in the nation; and
Whereas, The West Virginia National Guard is continuously above
service and preparedness strength, has been repeatedly recognized
as one of the top forces in the country, and its members are
nationally renowned for their professionalism, courage and
commitment to duty; and
Whereas, Military veteran homelessness, incidents of veteran
suicide, and diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder for
veterans are all on the rise with no signs of slowing down unless
additional action by the West Virginia Department of Veterans
Assistance and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is taken; and
Whereas,
Additionally, aging veterans of previous conflicts are
facing worsening problems as they enter their retirement years
; and
Whereas, West Virginia has passed legislation offering instate
military veteran retirees financial benefits in an attempt to
increase these veterans' financial stability and to attract out of
state veterans to retire to West Virginia; and
Whereas, As the state continues to make retiring in West
Virginia attractive to military veterans, the overall economic
development their residency provides will certainly benefit each
and every West Virginian; and
Whereas, Although the retirement benefits of veterans within
West Virginia are positive, additional legislative efforts can be
pursued to further augment these opportunities; and
Whereas, The Legislature finds that it should take an active
role in studying, formulating and implementing resources and
programs that support West Virginia citizens serving in the Armed
Forces of the United States, the West Virginia National Guard as
well as veterans of military service to better assist them and
their family members in getting the care, services and
opportunities that they have earned and deserve; and
Whereas, The Select Committee on Veterans Affairs has a
demonstrated history of initiating legislation promoting and
facilitating the establishment of programs to assist returning veterans, including, but not limited to, the veteran friendly
campus legislation as well as legislation to establish a program
for veteran friendly communities and continues to monitor the
implementation and development of such programs; and
Whereas, Because of the state's consistent resident and citizen
support of the nation's armed forces and the West Virginia National
Guard, the Legislature of West Virginia should continue to receive
input on and develop measures on a continuing basis during interim
periods in order to provide the best available educational,
vocational, social and medical support services for our state's
military personnel and veterans that it can; and
Whereas, The interim Select Committee on Veterans Affairs
provides the Legislature a means to continuously monitor and
develop various programs and resources to assist our state's
military personnel and military veterans; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is
requested to continue to conduct a study of the needs, challenges,
and issues facing West Virginia military veterans, West Virginia
citizens serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, the West
Virginia National Guard and other military affairs of West
Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the Legislature, on the first day of the regular session, 2015, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations
together with drafts of any legislation to effectuate its
recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report, and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.
This resolution was recommended for introduction and passage
during the Regular Session of the Legislature by the Select
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.