SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4
(By Senators Wells, Williams, Yost, Sypolt, D. Facemire, Barnes,
Unger, Jenkins, Minard, Chafin, White and Stollings)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to
continue studying the needs, challenges, and issues facing
West Virginia veterans returning from recent service and those
generations that have served before for the purpose of making
recommendations on how the State of West Virginia can better
assist them in getting the care and opportunities they
deserve.
Whereas, The State of West Virginia's Legislative Select
Committee on Veterans' Affairs has been continuously receiving
testimony from veterans, local health care providers, social
workers, and educational services personnel identifying the current
state of affairs in post-deployment services available to veterans;
and
Whereas, The testimony the committee has received illustrates
that many veterans were either dissatisfied with or unable to
receive the treatment options that are currently available or that
they may be eligible for; and
Whereas, Veterans recently returning from active duty are
facing struggles, injuries, and mental and physical health care issues that are unprecedented and are not being fully addressed by
current services; and
Whereas, The federal and state veterans care facilities, many
public and private medical care facilities, and volunteer
organizations are becoming inundated with the influx of veterans in
need of care; and
Whereas, President Barack Obama's administration's committed
troop increase to Afghanistan will most likely increase the need
for additional veterans benefits and services that are already
stretched thin to handle the influx of returning soldiers; and
Whereas, Many of the state's institutions of higher learning
have begun offering programs directed at providing veterans with
assistance including financial assistance, campus counseling, and
aid in the transition from military life to student life; and
Whereas, In 2009, the Legislative Select Committee on
Veterans' Affairs distributed a survey questionnaire to the state's
institutions of higher education in an effort to quantify the
overall veteran friendliness of their campus' and veteran
educational opportunities;
Whereas, The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
has established a Veterans Initiative Task Force to help expand
educational benefits and services among the state's institutions of
higher education; and
Whereas, The Veterans Initiative Task Force consists of higher
education professionals, veterans benefits coordinators, and state agency representatives; and
Whereas, The Legislative Select Committee on Veterans' Affairs
has asked The Veterans Initiative Task Force to periodically make
policy and legislative recommendations based on their findings; and
Whereas, Generations of veterans from all services have called
West Virginia home as West Virginia has one of the highest numbers
of active duty and injured soldiers per capita in the nation; and
Whereas, It is important that all eligible veterans receive
the services, treatment, and care they so richly deserve for
volunteering their lives to the protection of this country and its
institutions; and
Whereas, The State of West Virginia should remain committed to
showing its gratitude of these service men and women by continuing
its endeavor of developing and enhancing services directed at
providing eligible veterans with healthcare services and education
opportunities; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to continue studying the needs, challenges, and issues
facing West Virginia veterans returning from recent service and
those generations that have served before for the purpose of making
recommendations on how the State of West Virginia can better assist
them in getting the care and opportunities they deserve; and, be it
Further Resolved, that the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 201
1
, 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.