BILL NUMBER: SCR 78 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 162
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
ADOPTED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 27, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senators Nielsen and Hueso
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez, Irwin, and Mathis)
(Coauthors: Senators Anderson, Bates, Block, Hall, Huff, Nguyen,
Pan, Roth, and Vidak)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Bloom, Daly, Kim, Lackey,
Olsen, Rodriguez, and Wilk)
JUNE 30, 2015
Relative to veterans.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 78, Nielsen. Veterans: Team AMVETS.
This measure would commend AMVETS Department of California, also
known as Team AMVETS, for providing benefits and services to
veterans, and for playing an important role in the community for 70
years.
WHEREAS, The unprecedented call to military service demanded by
World War II led to a record number of returning war veterans in need
of assistance and support; and
WHEREAS, The roots of AMVETS National can be traced back to a
gathering of 18 veterans in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 10,
1944, who named themselves "The American Veterans" of World War II;
and
WHEREAS, This group sought to provide more comprehensive
assistance than was currently available from the organizations run by
veterans of earlier wars and those operating on college campuses
during that time; and
WHEREAS, On July 23, 1947, AMVETS National became the first World
War II organization chartered by Congress when President Harry S.
Truman signed Public Law 216 (H.R. 1888), giving AMVETS a federal
charter under Title 36 of the United States Code and status as a 501
(c)(19) nonprofit veterans service organization; and
WHEREAS, In honor and recognition of the sacrifices made by all
veterans, membership in AMVETS is open to anyone who is currently
serving or has honorably served in the United States Armed Forces,
Coast Guard, and Merchant Marines, as well as the National Guard and
reserve components; and
WHEREAS, On October 20, 1945, the AMVETS Department of California
was established and today has over 12,000 members and over 50 local
posts in California's communities; and
WHEREAS, AMVETS Department of California is also known as "Team
AMVETS" to reflect its mission to serve at the forefront of community
and veterans' services for the State of California, and that any
patriotic citizen can be a part of Team AMVETS through volunteerism
and donating used clothing and household goods to the Team AMVETS
Thrift Stores; and
WHEREAS, Team AMVETS is involved in many aspects of service to
veterans and the community. In 2014, AMVETS service officers assisted
California veterans in filing 16,365 claims, which resulted in new
and retroactive claim payments of almost $39 million for California
veterans; and
WHEREAS, Team AMVETS has a partnership between the federal
Department of Veterans Affairs and the AMVETS Department of
California Service Foundation called the Welcome Home Program, which
offers furnishings and household items to homeless veterans who
receive HUD assistance throughout the state and supports the federal
Department of Veterans Affairs' goal to end veteran homelessness by
2015; and
WHEREAS, Team AMVETS is active in advocating on behalf of veterans
and their dependents before the Legislature, the state Department of
Veterans Affairs, and state and local agencies, as well as
supporting California's National Guard; and
WHEREAS, Team AMVETS sponsors legislation, supports and monitors
approximately 100 veteran-related bills per legislative session, and
actively monitors aspects of the state budget process, which affect
such issues as veterans' homes, CalVet, National Guard, County
Veterans Service Officers, and veterans' outreach programs; and
WHEREAS, The Team AMVETS military funeral honor guards average
4,000 military funerals a year, comprising an average of 20,000
volunteer hours, to veterans' families across the Golden State, at no
cost; and
WHEREAS, The federal Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary
Service was founded in 1946 to provide for veterans in federal
Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities. The federal
Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service is the largest
volunteer program in the federal government, with more than 350
national and community organizations involved in support of its
mission. Volunteers assist patients by augmenting staff in
end-of-life care programs, foster care, community-based volunteer
programs, hospital wards, nursing homes, and veteran outreach
centers. AMVETS serves as one of the 60 major veteran, civic, and
service organizations that comprise the Veterans Affairs Voluntary
Service National Advisory Committee. Nationally, every year, AMVETS
volunteers provide nearly 200,000 hours of service at VA facilities
across the country through the volunteer program. AMVETS volunteers
have provided about $3.5 million worth of services each year helping
to provide quality care to our nation's heroes; and
WHEREAS, Team AMVETS operates five thrift stores in El Cajon,
Fresno, Spring Valley, Long Beach, and San Diego. These Team AMVETS
Thrift Stores solicit donated goods from the public, then pick up
those goods and sell them to the public to raise revenues to fund
programs for veterans. Team AMVETS Thrift Stores also give furniture
and household goods to homeless veterans seeking to transition into a
home; and
WHEREAS, The AMVETS National Spirit of America Youth Conference is
held annually at the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, where
students get to experience four days at the Freedoms Foundation's
facility and are schooled in constitutional law with respect to the
balance between liberty and security. These students participate in
leadership building activities and visit sites in Philadelphia and
Valley Forge. Team AMVETS sends about 60 students each year to the
conference from California; and
WHEREAS, The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), a
federal program that seeks to instill in students attending secondary
educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the
United States, and personal responsibility and a sense of
accomplishment, has faced funding challenges. Team AMVETS has, in
recognition of the value of this program, sponsored JROTC
scholarships, events, challenges, exhibitions, drills, and
competitions to augment the program; and
WHEREAS, Team AMVETS is continually searching for new ways to
serve veterans and their families, such as public policy and
legislative advocacy related to, among others, employment and
training, mandatory funding for government-provided health care, and
other entitlement benefits, as well as participating in hospitalized
veterans' visits, honor flights, Veterans Homes assistance, scouting,
stand-downs, blood drives, and patriotic community programs; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That Team AMVETS, since 1945, has exhibited
leadership, advocacy, and service for California's veterans and their
families; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature commends AMVETS Department of
California, also known as Team AMVETS, for providing benefits and
services to their fellow veterans, as well as playing an important
role in the civic life of their communities for 70 years; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.