Title: A resolution to honor and recognize the patriotism and service to the United States provided by Veterans Service Organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This resolution honors and recognizes the service provided to veterans by Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and commends their efforts to improvise and adapt to the challenges posed by COVID-19. The resolution also supports efforts by VSOs to enable veterans, their families, and their caregivers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 143 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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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;
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;

    (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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors and recognizes the patriotism and service to the 
        United States provided by Veterans Service Organizations 
        (referred to in this resolution as ``VSOs'') during the COVID-
        19 pandemic;
            (2) commends efforts by VSOs to improvise and adapt to the 
        challenges posed by COVID-19 to continue to support veterans in 
        need, especially those left most vulnerable by the COVID-19 
        pandemic; and
            (3) supports efforts by VSOs to enable veterans, their 
        families, and their caregivers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
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