New Veterans Bill To Be Announced

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C.U.S. Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas will announce his new veterans legislation the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act at the Camo to Cops Veterans Recruitment Fair in San Antonio on Friday. The senator will also participate in a roundtable with U.S. Rep. Will Hurd Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau San Antonio Police Department Assistant Chief Anthony Trevio and veterans employed by BCSO and SAPD on local efforts to hire more veterans for law enforcement. Cornyns new bill will encourage this practice nationwide. Cornyn will also speak briefly at the recruitment fair and a press conference will follow. The American Law Enforcement Heroes Act would prioritize the U.S. Department of Justice COPS grant applications of law enforcement agencies which use the funding to hire veterans. The senator will also seek to promote his new Texas Veterans Initiative which will seek to address issues such as better health care access to suicide prevention.

Our veterans and military service members put their lives on the line to protect their fellow Americans and we must in turn do everything we can to take care of them once they return home" Cornyn said. It is our duty to care for all wounds suffered by our men and women in uniform both past and present including those invisible wounds that can lead to preventable tragedies."

The initiative will address issues such as long wait times at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities increase congressional oversight and force compliance with the VAs own scheduling benchmarks and rules to hold the VA accountable. The bill will require each VA medical facility director to annually certify compliance with the VAs scheduling directive and prohibit them from receiving awards or bonuses if they fail to comply. The legislation also makes 25 additional senior VA positions subject to Senate confirmation. The American Law Enforcement Heroes Act which is part of the initiative will encourage state and local governments to hire U.S. veterans as new law enforcement officers via grant funding by incentivizing agencies through financial reimbursement for training and uniforms. The initiative will also feature the Servicemember Retirement Improvement Act which will allow veterans to contribute the maximum to both their civilian and military retirement plans