Veterans

We owe our everlasting gratitude to those who risked their lives for this country and its ideals. Read more »

More Chaos on the Obamacare Exchanges The health insurance provider Anthem has decided to stop selling individual insurance plans on Virginia’s Obamacare exchange next year. It will also stop selling off-exchange individual plans, except in Washington and Scott Counties and the City of Bristol. As I write this column, information had not been released as to what individual plans will be… Read more »

Veteran Care We honor those who have served our country on Veterans Day, but year round we should appropriately honor the veterans who are deserving our respect and gratitude.  As a part of that respect, they deserve the quality health care from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) they were promised.  These men and women put their life on the line for us.  They… Read more »

Remembering Fallen Heroes On the last Monday in May, our nation honors Memorial Day. We use this day to remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in defense of the Republic. What we know as Memorial Day began in the years immediately following the War Between the States. Citizens in both the North and the South would decorate the graves of the war’s dead with flowers in… Read more »

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2288, the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017.  The bill creates a new process for veteran disability appeals so those appeals can be resolved faster and hopefully shorten the backlog of cases awaiting a decision. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) said, “This bill makes the appeals process more efficient for… Read more »

Tuesday, May 16, 2017 – The House of Representatives passed H.R. 1428 - American Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2017.  Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement: “This bipartisan bill allows police departments to prioritize funding to hire and train veterans.  We are always looking for ways to help veterans secure meaningful employment, and this… Read more »

A Date Which Will Live in Infamy? Seventy-five years ago, on the morning of December 7, 1941, the United States of America was “suddenly and deliberately attacked.” At the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes destroyed eight massive battleships and more than 300 airplanes and killed 2,000 Americans. One ship, the USS Oklahoma, was hit with… Read more »

Friday, November 11, 2016 – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement honoring America’s veterans for their sacrifice and dedication to our country: “In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, World War I ended.  Based on the terrible bloodshed and destruction, it was hoped that it would be the “war to end all wars.” … Read more »

Improving Veterans’ Care and the Benefits Process Veterans served our country, giving of themselves, to protect our freedoms and way of life.  Now they deserve the highest quality of care and benefits they are due.  Recently, the House, with my support, passed the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act.  If passed by the Senate and signed by the President,… Read more »

Telemedicine – Now is the Time From time to time, this column highlights ongoing challenges, promising innovations, etc. being undertaken by various people, organizations, and/or businesses from throughout Ninth District.  For example, I wrote earlier this month of a local cow/calf operation and its owner’s support of improving our tax code.  I have also discussed the Radford… Read more »