NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE
VETERANS HOMES
“Caring for America’s Heroes”
How & What to Communicate
with Your Legislators
Fred S. Sganga
Legislative Officer
February 25, 2014
Legislative Session Overview
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Review of NASVH 2014 Priorities
DC Update
Senate Bill #1982 Update
Hill Day Packet
NASVH Hill Day Reception
Post NASVH Winter Conference Follow-up
Prior To Your Congressional Visits
• Review all documents:
– State Veterans Home Facts Sheet
– NASVH 2014 Legislative Agenda
– NASVH Hill Day Reception Invitations
– NASVH Hill Day Tracking Form
– Capitol Campus Map
• Have a good understanding of the NASVH priorities
• Thank your Legislators for:
– VA per diem program
– VA 70% Service Connected Disabled FCC program
– VA Construction Grant program
• Personalize your visit with a “good” story about your
SVH!
Priority 1
Increase Construction Grant
Funding to $250 Million to Address
Backlog
• In the past year, the number of priority list group 1
projects doubled from $257 M in FY 2013 to
$489 M in FY 2014.
• With only $85 M available for projects this year,
the FY 2015 Priority 1 list has over $400 M in
projects and could increase to $439 M when
States commit to the match.
Priority 2
Enact Legislation to Allow State Homes
to Operate Homeless Veterans Programs
• Allows SVH’s with empty domiciliary beds to
pursue VA homeless grants.
• Works with Secretary Shinseki’s vision to end
veterans homelessness by the end of 2015.
• Would not result in any additional new
spending and would allow SVH’s to compete
for existing federal grants.
Priority 3
Publishing Final Rules that
Address Adult Day Health and
Domiciliary Care
• NASVH has been waiting for over four
years for the VA to publish these new
regulations.
• Without new regulations, many SVHs
with an interest to open or expand
ADHC or Doms are hindered in moving
forward.
Next Steps
• Legislative Reception
– 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
– Cannon Office Building, Room 334
• Hill Visits Tracking Form
– Complete a Form for Each Visit
– Return to Fred Sganga ASAP
• NASVH and You
– Assist with Follow-Up Actions
– Facilitate Next Year’s Legislative Agenda
• Thank You Notes
– Revisit Your Visit
– Revisit Your Legislative Agenda
– Reference Your Visit Next Year
DC Update
President
Barack Obama
Harry Reid
Senate
Majority Leader
John Boehner
House
Majority Leader
United States Senate
• Currently, 53 Democrats, 45 Republicans
& 2 Independents
• 36 Senators are up for re-election in
November 2014
– 15 Republican Seats
– 21 Democratic Seats
• Possibility of Majority leadership changes
in the Senate this coming November.
US House of Representatives
• Currently 232 Republicans,
199 Democrats & 4 Vacancies.
• All Representatives are up for
re-election in November 2014
• It is projected that the House will
remain in the Republican Majority
US Senate - Veterans’ Affairs
Committee
Senator
Bernie Sanders
Chairman
Vermont
Senator
Richard Burr
Minority
North Carolina
US Senate
Veterans’ Affairs
Committee Members
Democrats
Sanders – I
Rockefeller
Murray
Brown
Tester
Begich
Blumenthal
Hirono
Republicans
VT
WV
WA
OH
MT
AK
CT
HI
Burr
Isakson
Johanns
Moran
Boozman
Heller
NC
GA
NE
KS
AR
NV
House Veterans’ Affairs
Committee
Congressman
Jeff Miller
Florida
Chairman
Congressman
Michael Michaud
Maine
Ranking Member
House Veterans’ Affairs
Committee Members
Republicans
Miller
FL
Lamborn
CO
Bilirakis
FL
Roe
TN
Flores
TX
Denham
CA
Runyan
NJ
Benishek
MI
Huelskamp KS
Amodei
NV
Coffman
CO
Wenstrup
OH
Cook
CA
Walorski
IN
Democrats
Michaud
Brown
Takano
Brownley
Titus
Kirkpatrick
Ruiz
McLeod
Kuster
O’Rourke
Walz
ME
FL
CA
CA
NV
AZ
CA
CA
NH
TX
MN
S. 1982 Update
• Comprehensive Veterans Health
& Benefits & Military Retirement Pay
Restoration Act of 2014
• Senator Sanders’ Veterans “Kitchen Sink” Bill
• Includes – SVHs ability to access homeless
vets grants for domiciliary care.
• Coming up for a cloture vote today.
• If passed, will allow for 30 more hours of
debate within the Senate – and then a full
vote.
Post NASVH Winter Conference
Follow-up
• Remember to thank your representatives for
meeting with you.
• Also remember – It’s an election year! Most
Legislators are seeking to get re-elected.
• Create a photo-op for your Legislator at your
SVH and get it in your local newspaper.
• Continue to maintain good relationships with
key staffers in D.C. and local office because the
staffers get things done!
The importance of a good relationship
with your elected officials…
Questions and Answers
Contact:
Fred S. Sganga
NASVH Legislative Officer
fred.sganga@lisvh.org
(631) 444-8606
Together, we are…
“Caring for America’s Heroes”