Congressman Schrader (OR-5) continued to fight to protect Oregon veterans by introducing the Recalled Veterans Protection Act (RVPA) today. The RVPA creates protections for service members who have been injured after being involuntarily called back to service to ensure they are able to receive their due retirement pay.
In Oregon, Sergeant First Class Alan Certain separated from the Army in 1992 under the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) program, also known as a buyout meant to encourage permanent service member to retire early. In 2005, Certain was involuntarily called back to service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF), and in 2010, he sustained injuries that rated him 100% service connected disabled. Upon his retirement in 2014, Certain should have begun to receive retirement pay. However, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) has withheld the veteran’s retirement checks until he returns the VSI amount in full. Existing law allows the DFAS to waive repayment, but does not provide consistent protection for veterans. Rep. Schrader’s RPVA bill would support veterans by providing a blanket exemption from VSI repayment should they sustain a service related injury during involuntary recall.
“Current law does not do enough to protect our veterans after they’ve been involuntarily called back into service,” said Rep. Schrader. “Leaving veterans out in the cold does not represent our American values. It’s way past time we stop pulling the rug out from under our veterans. After the sacrifices they’ve made for us, the treatment they get when they come home is ridiculous and unacceptable. My bill reminds the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us that we will not turn our backs on them. I’ve always stood up for our veterans, and I will especially continue to stand up to protect our most vulnerable vets.”
This bill is the latest in a series of legislative actions Congressman Schrader has taken this year to protect Oregon’s veterans:
· Following an investigative report in The Oregonian, which profiled Marine veteran Jacob McGreevey who lost him home while on his third of four tours of duty, Rep. Schrader introduced the HOMES Act to establish a national 10-year statute of limitations under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), providing greater clarity, uniformity and protection for our service members.
· Earlier this year, Rep. Schrader called for an investigation into the VA Caregiver Program after a significant spike last year in the number of veterans kicked off of the program without explanation or transparency from the VA. He led the Oregon delegation in the charge, sending a letter to VA Secretary Shulkin in early April. And in response to the Congressman’s letter, the VA announced last month that it would halt removing veterans from the program across the entire country until an investigation had been conducted.
· At the beginning of the year, Rep. Schrader introduced a bill to prohibit any hiring freeze from affecting the VA in response to the President’s 90-day hiring freeze across the federal government. At the time that the hiring freeze was implemented, there were more than 12 PCP and 40 medical support staff vacancies in the VA Portland Health Care System.
