III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 143 

To honor and recognize the patriotism and service to the United States 

provided by Veterans Service Organizations during the COVID–19 pandemic. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 25, 2021 

Ms. HASSAN (for herself, Mr. TILLIS, Ms. SINEMA, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BROWN, and Mr. TUBERVILLE) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

To honor and recognize the patriotism and service to the 

United States provided by Veterans Service Organizations during the COVID–19 pandemic. 

Whereas, throughout the United States, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic (referred to in this 

preamble as the ‘‘pandemic’’) has devastated veterans 

and their families; 

Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs (referred to in 

this preamble as the ‘‘VA’’) has tested or treated over 

230,000 cases of COVID–19 and has recorded over 

10,000 known deaths caused by COVID–19; 


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•SRES 143 IS 

Whereas over 1,000,000 veterans lost their jobs because of 

the pandemic, with veteran unemployment reaching nearly 12 percent in April 2020; 

Whereas many veterans have experienced feelings of isolation 

and loneliness caused by the public health restrictions 

needed to curb the spread of COVID–19; 

Whereas, since their inception, Veterans Service Organizations (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘VSOs’’) have always supported and advocated on behalf of members of 

the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families; 

Whereas VSOs have adapted to the unique challenges posed 

by the pandemic in order to continue to support veterans 

and advocate for the veteran community; 

Whereas members of VSOs have fostered a sense of connection and community amid the pandemic by— 

(1) calling, emailing, or writing to fellow veterans; 

(2) delivering food and groceries to fellow veterans 

and their families; and 

(3) hosting virtual and socially distanced events; 

Whereas members of VSOs have conducted thousands of 

peer-wellness checks to combat the ongoing mental health 

crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic; 

Whereas VSOs have continued to help veterans access 

healthcare during the pandemic by— 

(1) assisting veterans with enrollment in VA 

healthcare plans; 

(2) enabling access to telehealth; and 

(3) providing hundreds of thousands of rides to medical appointments; 

Whereas VSOs have helped veterans find employment by— 

(1) connecting veterans to employers; 


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•SRES 143 IS 

(2) hosting virtual job fairs; and 

(3) providing online job search resources; 

Whereas representatives of VSOs have helped hundreds of 

thousands of veterans navigate a VA benefits claims 

process that has been changed by the pandemic; 

Whereas VSOs are playing an essential role in encouraging 

all veterans to get vaccinated; 

Whereas members of VSOs are volunteering at vaccination 

sites across the United States to help their fellow veterans and all other individuals in the United States receive the COVID–19 vaccine; and 

Whereas VSOs will continue to play an instrumental role representing and supporting the veteran community as the 

United States moves forward on the path towards recovering from the pandemic: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) honors and recognizes the patriotism and 

3 service to the United States provided by Veterans 

4 Service Organizations (referred to in this resolution 

5 as ‘‘VSOs’’) during the COVID–19 pandemic; 

6 (2) commends efforts by VSOs to improvise and 

7 adapt to the challenges posed by COVID–19 to con8 tinue to support veterans in need, especially those 

9 left most vulnerable by the COVID–19 pandemic; 

10 and 


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•SRES 143 IS 

1 (3) supports efforts by VSOs to enable vet2 erans, their families, and their caregivers to receive 

3 the COVID–19 vaccine. 

Æ 


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