May
24,
2017
A
SPECIAL
MEMORIAL
DAY
MESSAGE
West
Virginia
is
a
deeply
patriotic
state.
We
have
served
at
a
higher
rate
than
nearly
every
other
state
in
all
our
nation’s
wars.
We
have
more
Veterans,
per
capita,
on
the
Vietnam
Wall
than
any
other
state.
Because
of
our
proud
heritage
of
service,
we
in
West
Virginia
celebrate
Memorial
Day
each
year
with
profound
reflection,
pride
and
respect.
This
a
day
to
pay
tribute
to
our
Fallen
Service
Members and
say
thank
you,
from
the
bottoms
of
our
hearts,
to
their
families,
and
to
all
who
served
and
continue
to
serve.
If
you
see
someone
wearing
the
Gold
Star
Pin,
which
symbolizes
the
ultimate
sacrifice,
thank
them.
If
you
see
a
Veteran,
thank
them.
If
you
see
a
Service
Member,
thank
them.
I’ll
be
joining
you
in
doing
the
same.
Greenbrier
CBOC
Opening
Senator
Manchin
speaks
at
the
ribbon
cutting
ceremony
for
the
new
Veterans
outpatient
clinic
in
Greenbrier
County
on
May
22.
Vietnam
veterans
live
by
the
creed,
"Never
again
will
one
generation
of
veterans
abandon
another."
Here
in
West
Virginia,
that
creed
is
lived
fully,
every
day.
And
I
saw it
lived
more
powerfully
than
in
our
successful
fight
to
get
a
new
outpatient
health
clinic
for
veterans
in
Greenbrier
County.
Three
years
ago,
the
veterans
outpatient
clinic
in
Maxwelton
was
permanently
shut
down,
leaving
a
real
void
in
this
area.
Not
having
a
clinic
was
simply
unacceptable
to
me
and
to
our
local
veterans,
so
we
got
to
work.
Together
with
the
Vietnam
Veterans
of
Greenbrier
County
–
especially
Jim
Smith
and
Jim
Creasman
–
we
held
town
halls
and
meetings.
We
sent
countless
emails.
We
had
conference
calls
with
people
at
the
highest
levels
of
the
U.S.
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs.
We
talked
to
anyone
who
would
listen
–
including
the
Secretary
of
the
VA,
Bob
McDonald,
whom
I
invited
and
brought
to
Greenbrier
County
two
years
ago
to
underscore
the
great
need
for
this
clinic.
On
Monday,
we
celebrated
the
payoff
of
all
that
hard
work
–
with
the
doors
officially
opening
at
the
new
Community
Based
Outpatient
Clinic
(CBOC)
for
Veterans
in
Ronceverte.
After
years
with
a
temporary
CBOC,
veterans
in
the
region
now
have
permanent
access
to
outpatient
services
including
primary
care,
mental
health,
X-rays,
telehealth,
a
laboratory,
and
a
dedicated
clinic
for
women.
Veterans
can
seek
these
services
at
the
new
location
–
228
Shamrock
Lane
in
Ronceverte
–
from
7:30
a.m.
to
4:30
p.m.
Monday
through
Friday.
One
of
my
biggest
honors
as
West
Virginia’s
United
States
Senator
is
serving
on
the
Senate
Veterans’
Affairs
Committee.
To
best
serve
in
this
capacity,
I
have
formed
a
statewide
Veterans
Advisory
Group
that
provides
direct
feedback
on
legislation
and
issues
facing
the
veterans
community.
With
input
from
this
group,
right
now
in
Washington,
I
am
working
on
legislation
to
name
the
Huntington
VA
Medical
Center
after
our
Medal
of
Honor
recipient
Woody
Williams.
I’m
working
on
the
Homeless
Veterans
Prevention
Act
of
2017.
I’m
a
proud
forming
member
of
the
Congressional
Veterans
Jobs
Caucus,
which
is
focused
on
decreasing
the
unemployment
rate
among
our
nation’s
Veterans.
And
I’ve
been
so
proud
to
champion
legislative
successes
for
our
veterans
–
including
the
HIRE
Vets
Act,
which
we
passed
this
year;
legislation
that
allows
all
Purple
Heart
awardees
to
participate
in
the
G.I.
Education
Enhancement
Program;
a
bill
that
improves
services
for
our
homeless
veterans;
and
legislation
that
removes
regulations
on
information
sharing
so
veterans
have
great
care
no
matter
where
they
receive
treatment.
The
men
and
women
who
fought
for
all
of
us
deserve
nothing
less
than
unending
support.
Whether
it’s
pushing
for
policies
that
matter
to
veterans,
getting
this
CBOC
in
Greenbrier
County,
helping
veterans
with
their
health
care
benefits
or
securing
their
long-overdue
military
medals,
our
veterans
have
always
been
there
for
us
–
and
for
each
other
–
and
I
will
always
be
there
for
them.
Petition
to
Rename
the
Huntington
VA
after
Woody
Williams
Senator
Manchin
with
Woody
Williams
in
2014.
Photo
credit:
Charleston
Gazette-Mail.
Last
week,
I petitioned
to
rename
the
Huntington
Veterans
Affairs
Medical
Center
after
Hershel
"Woody"
Williams.
Woody
is
West
Virginia’s
only
living
Medal
of
Honor
recipient.
Woody
has
dedicated
his
life
to
public
service,
and
he
has
represented
the
state
of
West
Virginia
with
the
utmost
honor
and
distinction.
After
retiring
from
the
Marine
Corps,
Woody
continued
in
public
service
at
the
Veterans
Affairs
Administration
for
35
years.
Even
today,
at
the
age
of
93,
Woody
travels
around
the
country
to
advocate
for
Veterans
and
their
families,
to
include
those
who
have
given
the
most,
Gold
Star
Families.
It
is
only
fitting
that
a
West
Virginia
VA
Medical
Center
be
named
to
honor
the
service
and
sacrifice
of
Medal
of
Honor
recipient
and
West
Virginia
icon,
Woody
Williams.
I
want
to
say
to
Woody
how
much
I
appreciate
his
friendship,
his
steadfast
loyalty
to
his
fellow
Veterans,
his
selflessness,
and
his
diligence
in
advocating
for
Veterans
and
their
families.
Veterans
Recruitment
Bill
I
proudly
applaud the
recent
passage
of
the
American
Law
Enforcement
Heroes
Act,
bipartisan
legislation
to
help
state
and
local
law
enforcement
hire
veterans
onto
their
forces.The
legislation
will
prioritize
the
U.S.
Department
of
Justice
Community
Oriented
Policing
Services
(COPS)
funding
of
law
enforcement
agencies
that
use
the
funding
to
hire
military
Veterans.
This
legislation
not
only
helps
our
Veterans
find
meaningful
employment,
it
also
benefits
law
enforcement
agencies
and
the
communities
they
serve.
Through
grant
funding,
the
COPS
program
encourages
state
and
local
law
enforcement
agencies
to
hire
Veterans.
Finding
meaningful
job
opportunities
after
serving
in
the
military
is
crucial
to
successfully
transitioning
back
into
civilian
life.
The
legislation
is
supported
by
the
Fraternal
Order
of
Police,
Major
County
Sheriffs
of
America,
Major
Cities
Chiefs
Association,
Sergeants
Benevolent
Association,
National
Association
of
Police
Organizations
and
Veterans
of
Foreign
Wars.
Veterans
Homeless
Bill
This
month,
I introduced
the
Homeless
Veterans
Prevention
Act
of
2017.
This
legislation
would
build
on
existing
homeless
veterans
programs
at
the
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
by
investing
in
established
programs
that
are
proven
to
be
effective
and
removing
any
residual
barriers
to
housing
for
Veterans.
West
Virginia’s
Veterans
and
their
families
have
made
unimaginable
sacrifices
to
keep
us
safe,
and
when
these
men
and
women
return
home
they
deserve
the
best
care.
The
Homeless
Veterans
Prevention
Act
bill
expands
on
existing
VA
partnerships
to
provide
West
Virginia’s
Veterans
with
housing,
health
care
access
and
legal
services
to
prevent
and
end
homelessness.
It’s
our
responsibility
to
ensure
every
Veteran
has
access
to
these
resources.
Key
Points
for
the
Homeless
Veterans
Prevention
Act
of
2017:
- Keeps
Veteran
families
together
by
allowing
the
VA
to
house
the
children
of
homeless
Veterans
in
transitional
housing
programs.
- Requires
the
VA
to
enter
into
partnerships
with
public
and
private
entities
to
provide
legal
services
for
homeless
Veterans
and
Veterans
at
risk
of
becoming
homeless.
- Provides
VA
with
the
authority
to
provide
dental
care
to
homeless
Veterans.
- Extends
and
increases
the
amount
of
money
available
for
supportive
services
to
very
low-income
Veteran
families
in
permanent
housing.
To
contact
me
via
email,
please
click here.
To
learn
more, call
my
office Toll
Free
at
(855)
275-5737
or
find
me
on
social
media.
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