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MOAA Leaders Take Capitol Hill by Storm
Chapter and council leaders lobby their legislators for support on
SBP reforms, Guard and Reserve issues.
When it comes to getting congressional legislators’ attention,
nothing beats the personal touch. That’s why 51 council and chapter
leaders from all 50 states and Puerto Rico traveled to Alexandria,
Va., to participate in MOAA’s Council and Chapter Presidents’
Seminar March 23–26.
Pictures from the Council and Chapter
Presidents' Seminar are available on
MOAA's Web Base.
During the annual seminar, council and chapter leaders met with
congressional legislators and their staff members as they Stormed
the Hill in an effort to end the unfair Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
annuity reduction that affects military survivors age 62 and older.
Seminar participants also lobbied for health coverage and retirement
fixes for Guard and Reserve members and for concurrent receipt for
servicemembers who have disabilities rated 40 percent or lower and
military disabled retirees with less than 20 years of service.
“I came away so positive you can’t believe it,” says Capt. Dan
Conway, USCGR-Ret., president of the Arizona Council of Chapters.
“We received a lot of attention from our representatives and
senators, and I think we’re making progress on SBP.”
Like other council and chapter leaders, Conway was paired up with
either a member of the national board of directors or a member of
MOAA’s headquarters staff during his Capitol Hill visits. Together
Conway and his lobbying partner, board of directors member Col.
Charles Schluter, ARNG-Ret., met face-to-face with five of their
eight congressional legislators.
Col. Joseph Yore, USA-Ret., president of the Mississippi Council of
Chapters, and his lobbying partner, board of directors member Lt.
Col. Charles Latimer, USAF-Ret., met face-to-face with six of
Mississippi’s eight congressional legislators. Although Yore has
lobbied on Capitol Hill for other organizations, this year marked
the first time he Stormed the Hill with MOAA.
“The thing that was most impressive to me was how well MOAA had the
thing organized,” says Yore. “The leave-behind information sheets
and packets the staff gave us were very good.”
Participants also attended a reception on Capitol Hill to honor
those who worked hard last year to pass a wide range of legislation
that helps military members and their families. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
received MOAA’s Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award,
which is presented annually to members of Congress who protect the
interests of servicemembers and their families and survivors.
McCain, a long-standing champion of concurrent receipt, also has
taken a leadership role in pushing through legislative measures to
restore tax fairness and pay comparability for uniformed
servicemembers. House Reps. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.),
and Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) also received Marix awards for their
efforts in the successful fight last year to win passage of
concurrent receipt.
VA Secretary Anthony Principi received an MOAA Distinguished Service
Award, which is given each year to an individual outside of Congress
who has championed issues of significance to members of the
uniformed services community. Patricia Lewis and Dr. Lynn Henselman,
who serve on the Senate and House Armed Service committees,
respectively, each received the Paul W. Arcari Meritorious Service
Award that honors congressional staff members. For more information
on MOAA’s awards ceremony, see “Celebrating
Leaders,” page 77.
The next day, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), who serves on both the
House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Veterans’
Affairs, spoke to council and chapter leaders at a reception and
dinner. Following dinner, Miller participated in a short
question-and-answer session.
In addition to meeting with our nation’s leaders, council and
chapter leaders shared their thoughts, ideas, and problems with each
other during a lively Cross-talk session. They also received
information about MOAA’s upcoming national convention in Nashville,
Tenn., which will be held Oct. 13–17, and were given a progress
update on MOAA’s 75th Anniversary Campaign, which is seeking to
raise $7.5 million for The Scholarship Fund of MOAA. The seminar
also included two benefits information briefings conducted by Capt.
Bud Schneeweis, USCG-Ret., director of MOAA’s Benefits Information
Department.
Several council and chapters leaders who were in attendance accepted
2003 Communications Awards on behalf of their members. The
Communications Awards contest is conducted annually by MOAA’s
Department of Council and Chapter Affairs to recognize councils and
chapters that communicate with their members using outstanding print
newsletters, electronic newsletters, or Web sites.
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