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| Veterans Corner |
June 09, 2006 |
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"America is a grateful nation. Millions around the world today live in freedom because of the service and sacrifice of our veterans."
Rep. Heather Wilson
Wilson Veterans Bill Gains 72 Cosponsors on First DayVeterans’ Identity Protection Act Offers Veterans Peace of Mind
05/26/06
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today announced that legislation she introduced Thursday quickly gained support from 72 bipartisan cosponsors in the House who signed onto the bill during the first day.
 Wilson, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, introduced the Veterans’ Identity Protection (VIP) Act to ensure veterans have rapid recourse if their personal information was mishandled by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The VA has announced that identity information on 26.5 million veterans, discharged since 1975, has apparently been stolen after having been taken home by an employee on a laptop computer. According to the VA, the information includes names, birthdates and Social Security numbers – enough information to raise serious concerns about the risk of identity theft.
“Veterans must be able to file claims and be compensated quickly if there are stolen identities and costs that are the fault of a government agency,” Wilson said.
Wilson’s bill establishes a claims process for veterans so they do not bear the burden of costs associated with the VA’s failure. Under the bill, damages can include reimbursement, as well as court and attorney fees.
“Our veterans should have peace of mind that the VA’s mistake will not create financial ruin for them,” Wilson said.
The bill establishes a claims office that will be independent of the VA. The bill waives the lengthy federal tort claims process so that veterans don’t have to spend years trying to sue the government for damages to them.
“America is a grateful nation,” Wilson said. “Millions around the world today live in freedom because of the service and sacrifice of our veterans. The government’s screw-up shouldn’t be our veterans’ problem.”
Rep. Wilson is the first graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy serving in Congress, and the only woman veteran currently serving in Congress.
Read the Wilson press release
VA Secretary Backs SF Cemetery Expansion
By Kiera Hay
Journal Staff Writer
05/31/06
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson, touring Santa Fe National Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon with Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., said he supported expanding the cemetery.
"We recognize the situation here. We`re basically in a land-locked space here, so it makes sense if we pick up the additional grounds," Nicholson said.
But Nicholson declined to speculate about the potential for purchase of 13 acres next to the cemetery owned by New Mexico Consolidated Construction Services LLC.
The land is part of the site of the old St. Catherine`s Indian School, which closed in 1998.
New Mexico Consolidated, of Albuquerque, bought 18 acres of the St. Catherine`s campus in October 2005 from the Pennsylvania-based Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. The company has offered to sell the federal government part of the land.
The cemetery`s current capacity is expected to run out in 2018, although a recent 5.7 acre donation by the city of Santa Fe would extend that estimate by about six years. The Veterans Administration also is looking into developing an additional five acres of land it owns near the cemetery.
If the St. Catherine`s School land is purchased, the cemetery would have enough capacity to last until about 2035, officials say.
Wilson said the possibility of creating a second veterans cemetery in New Mexico has been investigated as an alternative to expanding Santa Fe National Cemetery.
Wilson added, however, that she believed expansion was more cost-effective.
"We`re hoping that they (the federal government) do the math, and it works for them," Wilson said.
Nicholson also addressed the May 3 theft of a VA laptop and disks containing the personal information of 26.5 million veterans. The incident happened at the Maryland home of a VA data analyst.
"I am mad and so disappointed that this happened," Nicholson said.
Nicholson said letters had been mailed out notifying veterans of the situation and an information line had been set up to answer questions. |
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