Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón along with Representative Connor Lamb (PA-17) presented the Bipartite Legislation Supporting the Recognition of Emergency Veteran Training or SERVE Act, due to the acronym in English
This legislation will ensure that the knowledge and medical qualifications veterans receive during their military training are recognized and used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and health facilities to address the public health crisis resulting from COVID-19. Both congressmen confirmed this measure at this congress to advance vaccination efforts.
“The race to vaccinate American citizens against COVID-19 has reminded us how ill-prepared we were for this pandemic. There is no better group than our veterans to help us win the fight, ”said Lamb. “Veterans have received the best possible training and are eager to contribute when they return to everyday life. This legislation removes obstacles to helping veterans serve our communities more efficiently, especially as we increase our nationwide efforts to defeat COVID-19. “
“SERVE legislation seeks to capitalize on the skills and knowledge our veterans have gained and use it to help our country in this time of national emergencies. It has become clear that during this pandemic it is necessary to make the most of all available opportunities and resources to combat this deadly virus. Like those I represent, I have hope for the future and a return to normalcy. However, pandemics and other similar emergencies will always be an imminent threat and we must be prepared at all times. I am convinced that this legislation will put us in a better position to respond to more emergencies in the future. I am proud to be an original co-author, along with my partner representative Connor Lamb, and look forward to continuing to work in a twofold way to achieve our goal, ”said González Colón.
SERVE legislation is supported by the Veterans of America in Iraq and Afghanistan (IAVA), the AFL-CIO Veterans Union Council (UVC), and Team Rubicon. These Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) cite veterans ‘willingness to serve their communities again and have called on Congress to make improvements to the current accreditation system to better recognize veterans’ medical talents. To respond to this call, the SERVE legislation has:
Instructs VA to identify veterans with previous military medicine professions and specialties and to provide documentation of medical education and experience through an electronic portal, allowing veterans to provide their contact information on a voluntary basis.
It allows VA to share such veterans’ information and their medical experience with their respective state government, VSOs, and organizations accredited by their state, to facilitate the state-level accreditation process for qualified veterans.
Permanently authorizes the Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) program, which it plans to deploy previously in the military for positions in veteran health centers; Y
It requires a study of the possibility of replicating the ICT program for other military specialties in order to expand the routes for members of the armed forces in transition to the labor force.
“I welcome the dual efforts of Representatives Lamb and González Colón in introducing this important legislation,” said Jeremy Butler, CEO of IAVA. “The introduction of the SERVE Act is timely, given the need for health workers during this pandemic. There are hundreds of thousands of veterans with critical medical knowledge and experience. They are an unused resource and should not be set aside ”.
“Health workers have been at the forefront of this pandemic for over 14 months and need support. We have the opportunity to create a whole new workforce that is very excited to be of service. There are hundreds of thousands of military veterans with extensive emergency medicine training who have no way to use their talents in times of crisis, ”said Jake Wood, CEO of Team Rubicon.
“As veterans, we are trained to serve and are always ready to fight when our country needs it. This legislation not only helps us provide expert personnel for the COVID-19 vaccination mission, but also provides a sense of service and purpose for many of our national heroes, ”said Will Attig, Executive Director, Union Veterans Council, AFL- CIO.