PASSAGE of FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), P.L. 112-81

Provisions Included:

• SEC. 513. MODIFICATION OF PRESEPERATION COUNSELING FOR RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS BEING DEMOBILIZED
  This requires the Secretary of Defense to clarify in policy the availability of pre-separation counseling to members of the reserve component demobilizing less than 90 days before the projected date of discharge or release from active duty.
  (Related Bills: H.R. 2751 and S. 1465, the Joining Forces for Military Mental Health Act)
• SEC. 533. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM
  This directs the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with each military department to enhance current suicide prevention information sharing services for members of the Armed Forces. In addition, it would include in pre-separation counseling the availability to the member and dependents of suicide prevention resources following separation from the armed forces.
  (Related Bill: H.R. 1284, the Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Act)
• SEC. 702. MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED IN SUPPORT OF A CONTIGENCY OPERATION
  This codifies, with several modifications, the existing legislative requirement for the Secretary of Defense to provide person-to person mental health assessments for each member of the armed forces who is deployed in support of a contingency operation at specified times before and after the deployment.
  (Related Bills: H.R. 1942 and H.R. 26, Serves Members/Veterans Mental Health Screening Act)
• SEC. 703. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENT
  This requires the Secretary of Defense to provide access to mental health assessments to members of the reserve components during scheduled unit training and assemblies. The provision would also require the Secretary to provide psychological health programs and training on suicide prevention and post-suicide response during scheduled unit training.
  (Related Bills: H.R. 948 and S. 325, The Embedded Mental Health Providers for Reserves Act)
• SEC. 711. IMPROVEMENT OF PROCEDURES FOR MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS
  This amends chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Defense to prescribe and maintain regulations relating to commanding officer and supervisor referrals of members of the armed forces for mental health evaluations.
• SEC. 712. EXTENSION ON TIME LIMIT FOR TRICARE CLAIMS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
  This extends the time limit for TRICARE claims outside the United States to be no later than three years after the services have been provided.

PASSAGE of FY2012 Defense/VA/MILCON Appropriations, P.L. 112-74

• National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA): $75 million appropriated for the Navy Reserve
• Military Construction (MILCON): $2.2 billion appropriated for the Navy, $26.3 million appropriated for the Navy Reserve

PASSAGE of H.R. 674, An Act to Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, P.L. 112-56

Provisions Included:

• TITLE II. VOW TO HIRE HEROES ACT OF 2011
  This directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), by July 1, 2012, to establish and commence a program of retraining assistance for veterans who: (1) are at least 35 but not more than 60 years of age, (2) were last discharged from active-duty service under conditions other than dishonorable, (3) are unemployed, (4) are not eligible for educational assistance under other VA programs, (5) are not in receipt of compensation for a service-connected disability rated total due to un-employability, (6) were not enrolled in any federal or state job training program at any time during the 180-day period ending on the date of application for assistance, and (7) applies for such assistance by October 1, 2013. In addition, it entitles each eligible veteran to up to 12 months of job training assistance toward a high-demand occupation. Finally, it requires the Secretary of Labor to contact each such veteran within 30 days after completion or termination of such training or assistance in order to facilitate employment.
  (Related Bills: H.R. 2433, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (VOW), and S. 951 and H.R. 1941 the Hiring Heroes Act)

PASSAGE of S. 894, the Veterans Compensation COLA Act of 2011, P.L. 112-53

Whereby:

• The bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase, as of December 1, 2011, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, and the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.  It also requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.

PASSAGE of H.R. 2192, the National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act of 2011, P.L. 112-64

Whereby:

• The bill amends the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008 to exempt for an additional four-year period qualifying Armed Forces reserve component and National Guard members (who, after September 11, 2001, are called to active duty or to perform a homeland defense activity for at least 90 days, and remain eligible for an exemption during the 540-day period following such active duty or homeland defense activity service) from the application of the means-test presumption of abuse under chapter 7 (Liquidation) of the Bankruptcy Code, as amended by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.

Direct Congressional Inputs

• Testified before three Congressional committees:
  • HVAC 
  • SASC Personnel Subcommittee 
  • Senate Defense Appropriations
• Wrote over 100 letters to Congress in support of military members and Veterans issues
• Wrote White House letter in support of critical Veterans issues

Leadership – Coalitions and Alliances

• The Military Coalition;
  • Co-Chair of TMC Guard and Reserve Committee (elected position)
  • Co-Chair of TMC MWR, MILCON, BRAC Committee (elected position) 
  • Member of Awards and Health Care committees
• Alliance for Military and Overseas Voters
• National Military Veterans Alliance
  • Co-Chair of Reserve Committee
• Law of the Sea Treaty Coalition