Progress-Index: Veterans storm the General Assembly
RICHMOND – Delegate Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, hosted about 50 members of the Virginia Council of Chapters of the Military Officers Association of America for their annual “Storm the Hill” on Jan. 23. It was the 15th straight year Cox hosted the group of military officers who were at the General Assembly to meet with their delegates and senators to garner support for bills that impact veterans and the military.
Cox, the House majority leader, is sponsoring House Bill 350, a significant veterans initiative that would increase the number of veteran services claims representatives by four – a 23 percent increase in the last two years. Cox has also submitted a bill to remove the veteran disability offset from the Virginia Retirement System computation of retired pay. This means that a veteran receiving a disability payment from the Veterans Administration will now receive his/her full retirement and disability pay. This brings Virginia in line with Social Security and industry practices.
Cox also has a veterans’ related budget amendment that provides funds for the deployment of an automated claims processing system. Other legislation sponsored by other lawmakers includes a bill to require mortuaries to report unclaimed cremated remains to the Department of Veterans Services to help identify veterans and arrange burial in a veteran cemetery. A final initiative will increase the voting members on the Board of Veteran Services.
Cox said he was proud to again host the veterans at the General Assembly. “I am always proud to work with MOAA and it has been my pleasure to host you for the past 15 years,” Cox said. “You have been a leader among all the veteran service organizations in Virginia and I appreciate the work you do for your fellow veterans.”
