Tag: veterans
The Veterans Community Advisory Committee is a place for veterans and/or their families to share their thoughts and experiences on Illinois legislation and how it affects military veterans, their families, and communities.
Please contact office@repmaura49.com to request the zoom link.
The Veterans Community Advisory Committee is a place for veterans and/or their families to share their thoughts and experiences on Illinois legislation and how it affects military veterans, their families, and communities.
Please contact office@repmaura49.com to request the zoom link.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is asking Illinois military veterans and their families to share their stories, photos and mementos for future generations as part of the Illinois Veterans History Project. The Illinois Veterans History Project is a statewide initiative that collects, preserves and makes accessible first-hand recollections of veterans and civilians who served the five military branches.
“It is an honor to commemorate the brave Americans who have served our country,” said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “Our state’s Veterans History Project shines a spotlight on veteran voices and serves as a permanent record for Illinois veterans to memorialize their experiences and contributions to ensure they are not forgotten.”
Giannoulias encourages veterans and their family members to submit materials so his office can digitize them and make them available online.
To submit an entry, visit www.ilsos.gov/veteranshistoryproject and complete and fill out an Illinois Patriot Information Form to the Illinois State Library. Completed forms can be submitted electronically to ilvhp@ilsos.gov or by mail to the Illinois State Library, 300 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701−1796. For more information about the Illinois Veterans History Project, call (800) 665-5576 – ext. 4, email ilvhp@ilsos.gov or visit the website at www.ilsos.gov/veteranshistoryproject.
The public can visit www.idaillinois.org and search Veterans History Project to view submissions, which can be searched by name, war and hometown of veterans who have submitted materials. Oral history interviews are also available on the project’s YouTube page at youtube.com/user/ilveteransproject.
6pm Supporting Organization set-up
7pm doors open
7:15pm Brief program
Light appetizers and cash bar will be available.
Please consider registering below to attend the event. This is not required but will help make sure there’s enough food & coffee for everyone and will be shared with participating organizations to facilitate future connections.
Organizations interested in tabling as a service provider, please register HERE.
This event would not be possible without the support of the following organizations:
Illinois House Democrats press release (on maurahirschauer.com)
**Note the Date Change**
Representative Hirschauer is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives Veterans’ Affairs Committee. She is inviting local veterans to share their thoughts on legislation and how it affects military veterans, their families, and communities, over breakfast at the VFW in West Chicago.
If you are unable to attend, but would care to share ways that legislation could help veterans, please contact our office.
At our last breakfast, Representative Stephanie Kifowit, USMC Veteran 90-94 and chair of the Illinois House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, attended and spoke as a special guest. We hope she will be able to join us again! We also heard about the Road Home Program at Rush which offers valuable services for veterans in the space of mental health.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, has been appointed to serve on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee for the remainder of the 2021-2022 legislative session, pledging to be a strong advocate for military families and veterans seeking support to meet their housing, employment and health care needs.
“After a COVID outbreak led to dozens of lives lost at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, I knew it was important that the state take a serious look at the quality of care being provided to our veterans,” said Hirschauer. “Supporting the heroes who sacrificed for our safety should always be a priority, and I will use my position on this committee to explore some of the major areas where veterans are being underserved.”
The Veterans’ Affairs Committee considers all legislation pertaining to veterans’ benefits, health care and state-run veterans’ homes and also works closely with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Recently, the panel held a hearing to review insufficient safety protocols and leadership decisions that fueled a deadly coronavirus outbreak at the LaSalle facility. Moving forward, Hirschauer and other members of the committee will continue to monitor the quality of long-term health care provided to veterans, as well as work to improve their access to education, mental health care, housing, employment and other services.
“I’m excited to get to work and continue to bring forth legislation that benefits our veterans,” said Hirschauer. “Unfortunately, veterans face many challenges both in transitioning to civilian life and gaining access to care as they age, and this committee will play an important role in eliminating existing barriers to better protect and honor those who served.”
Springfield Office:
276-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653
District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #108
West Chicago IL 60185
The post Hirschauer Joins House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs appeared first on Illinois House Democratic Caucus.
Today, the House Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing on the tragic, preventable COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans Home, which resulted in thirty-six saddening deaths. Witnesses from the hearing included Deputy Governor Sol Flores, Department of Veterans (IDVA) Affairs Director Terry
Prince and Assistant Director Anthony Vaughn, and Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
Following the investigatory report from the Illinois Department of Human Services Inspector General, today’s hearing featured a series of hard, direct questions from a group of bipartisan legislators.
“The goal of today’s hearing was to understand the leadership and operational gaps that led to this tragedy so we can determine what legislative recourse we should pursue,” said committee Chairwoman Stephanie Kifowit. “This is a grave matter that is far above politics and partisanship. The State of Illinois failed our veterans, and we need to work together to prevent this from ever happening again.”
In the hearing, Representative Yednock, whose district covers the LaSalle Veterans Home, zeroed in on the staffing gaps that contributed to the crisis, including the lack of a senior home administrator who would have been in charge of managing medical care.
“Unfortunately, this tragedy could have been prevented. We must keep top medical positions filled so that expertise can inform day-to-day operations and care,” said Representative Lance Yednock. “Veterans have dedicated their lives to our state and country, and we owe them much more than the
kind of neglect outlined in the Inspector General’s (IG) report. I am confident new leadership at Veterans Affairs will help. Still, we need to exercise our oversight responsibility as legislators to make sure we close the gaps, protect our veterans, and take care of anyone under the care of state-run homes.”
Members also focused on the causes of the hiring delays at state homes for veterans, such as workforce development and access to protective equipment.
“If as a state we ask people to enter careers of medical and health care, we need to make sure they can provide these essential services while protecting themselves too,” said Representative Maura Hirschauer.
“We also need to make sure our facilities and medical staff never fall out of compliance in the first place,” added Representative Yang Rohr. “Thoughtful care and oversight means developing proactive solutions, and that will be our north star as legislators.”
Following this hearing, committee members will continue their legislative inquiry for additional details to inform legislative solutions that will be considered this year.
“Serious, sober work lies ahead to make sure we exercise our legislative oversight and collaborate with the Senate, Governor’s office, IDPH and IDVA to get this right,” said Vice-Chairman Michael Halpin. “The IG’s report outlined what failed; now our job is to identify solutions.”
“Protecting our veterans is one of my top priorities,” said Representative Dave Vella. “I appreciate the answers provided today so we and our constituents understand what happened, and we are assured there will be continued action with haste and thoroughness.”
In the meantime, Chairwoman Kifowit and members express appreciation for and confidence in Director Terry Prince as the new leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Committee members also thank Dr. Ezike and Deputy Governor Sol Flores for their honest assessment and ongoing commitment to our
veterans and their care.
“If as a state we ask people to enter careers of medical and health care, we need to make sure they can provide these essential services while protecting themselves too.”
