A message from our President, Peter O’Rourke Sr.:
This month in San Diego, Veterans, community leaders, and advocates came together for an important and timely discussion on California Senate Bill 694. I want to commend California Veterans United for convening this forum and creating space for Veterans to share their lived experiences navigating the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims process.
The voices heard, from Veterans themselves, to leaders including CA Assemblywoman Lashae Sharp-Collins, Bruce Mayberry of the County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce, Kathleen Harmon, Founder of the National Women’s Veterans Association of America and Executive Director of the San Diego Black Veterans Alliance Tara Jones, and the Honorable Donyale Hall, underscored a common concern: policies like SB 694 have real-world consequences for Veterans seeking timely, effective help accessing the benefits they earned.
At NAVR, we believe strong Veterans policy should expand access, preserve choice, and include clear guardrails that protect Veterans without limiting their options. Oversight, transparency, and accountability are essential, but they must be designed to strengthen the system, not restrict Veterans to fewer pathways for support.
This forum demonstrated the power of coalition-driven engagement rooted in respect, transparency, and a shared commitment to Veterans. I applaud Veterans United and its partners for leading this effort and for keeping Veterans’ voices front and center in this critical conversation.
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