American Legion Meets With Lawmakers At Nation's Capitol

The American Legion is the voice of more than 1.5 million United States military veterans and servicemembers, and for more than 100 years now has been advocating for veterans and their concerns in Washington. 

Legionnaires were in the nation's Capitol this week, including several from Oklahoma.

"We call it the Washington conference," John McNeal, a Gulf War Army veteran and leader at Oklahoma American Legion Post 306 in Fletcher, said.

McNeal was among the hundreds of Legionnaires in Washington this week as the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees jointly heard from American Legion National Commander Vincent "Jim" Troiola.

"It is my honor and privilege to share with you and your committees the American Legion's top priorities for the first session of the 118th congress," Troiola said at the Wednesday hearing.

While Legion leadership made a formal presentation of their legislative agenda, members like McNeal and the others from Oklahoma discussed it more informally in face-to-face meetings with the members of the state's delegation or their staff.

At the top of the list is following up on what many veterans see as the crowning achievement of the last Congress -- the passage and signing of the PACT Act, legislation that extends VA benefits to servicemembers who became sick through exposure to burn pits and other harmful toxins.

"The 117th Congress made a commitment that the 118th congress now must fulfill," Troiola said in his opening statement, "to ensure that the PACT Act's provisions are fully implemented.

Among the key concerns is planning for and mitigating what the Veterans Administration expects will be a significant increase in medical claims this year.

McNeal said other priorities include granting permanent legal status to the loyal Afghans who helped U.S. armed forces in their country who are now refugees in America.

"Many of them fear deportation," said McNeal, "so we want to make sure that those folks are protected because they served alongside of us; we couldn’t have completed the mission over there without them."

The Legion is also asking Congress to understand that properly retiring a flag -- burning it -- can be a violation of the Clean Air Act in some cases, if the flag is made of nylon or polyester. 

"So, we’d like to get it to where maybe that Flag Act can be--the etiquette can be modified," McNeal said, "to where burning, shredding, and burying become appropriate retirement ceremonies for our flag."

You can see the American Legion's full legislative agenda by clicking here.