As everyone is well aware, another election season has come to a close, and it’s no secret that this Congress is among the least productive since the Great Depression. Yet, of the only 34 bills passed in the 118th Congress’ first year, seven were laws supported by DAV resolutions, which showcases DAV’s successful advocacy.

Since the start of the current congressional term, DAV has reviewed 411 bills on veterans legislation, provided 31 expert witness testimonies and testified on 173 veterans bills. Additionally, members and supporters have taken over 1.1 million actions through DAV CAN (Commander’s Action Network) to support our legislative advocacy.

“For DAV and our supporters—it is imperative to be well informed about issues that directly impact our nation’s service-disabled veterans and their families,” DAV National Legislative Director Joy Ilem said. “A new congressional term offers a fresh start and an opportunity to reinforce the positions our members want us to advocate for.”

In August 2024, DAV released an updated Vision for Veterans, establishing seven priority issues for the 2024 elections intended to help presidential and congressional candidates, as well as currently elected officials, understand the most pressing issues facing the veteran community and offer a series of concrete solutions to address them.

Separate from DAV’s critical policy goals, which go into more detail about our specific legislative priorities, Vision for Veterans is a high-level outlook based on over a century of expertise and advocacy. The document reflects the feedback from over 1 million DAV and Auxiliary members. These targeted advocacy efforts have had significant results for veterans. The historic passage of the Honoring our PACT Act, the Wounded Warrior Access Act and Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act are just a few substantial accomplishments.

Our Vision for Veterans document includes informative issue briefs and seven recommendations to support current and future generations of veterans.

First, we want to make sure lawmakers do not reduce, offset or tax veterans benefits. Second, we call on them to strengthen Dependency and Indemnity Compensation to better support veterans’ survivors. Third, we want Congress to make dental care a health care benefit for all service-disabled veterans. Fourth, we call for providing assisted-living care options for all service-disabled veterans. Fifth, while life-changing toxic-exposure legislation—the PACT ACT— was enacted, work still needs to be done to reform the process for creating toxic-exposure presumptives so that future generations of veterans don’t have to wait decades for benefits and health care they need and deserve. Sixth, it is imperative that Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs create a new planning and funding mechanism for modernizing the VA’s aging infrastructure. And seventh, we want to end Congressional PAYGO rules and budget caps that lead to cuts in veterans benefits and programs; we should never balance the budget on the backs of veterans.

“At DAV, we have long understood the importance of putting substantive policy recommendations in front of our elected officials,” said DAV National Commander Daniel Contreras. “The Vision for Veterans offers our elected officials and candidates an opportunity to hear directly from disabled veterans, their families and their survivors and ensure that their needs remain at the forefront of all their minds as they make decisions that impact the future of our community.”