Contact: Jen Hutchins, Patrick Boland (518) 581-8247

Washington, Oct 26 - Congressman Scott Murphy (NY-20) today released his report card from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), who rates all members of Congress, on their support for the newest generation of returning veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Murphy, who was elected in a special election, did not receive a letter grade because he was not serving in Congress for one of the key votes. However, Murphy has consistently supported the priorities of the IAVA, such as improving the VA disability claims process, upgrading the Post-9/11 GI Bill to include many more young veterans, and fighting veteran unemployment.

“IAVA Action’s Congressional Report Card methodology prevented us from being able to issue any member sworn in after the beginning of the Congress, including Congressman Murphy, a grade,” said Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and Executive Director of IAVA Action. “However, we know he deserves credit for his dedicated leadership of new veterans. It is clear that Scott Murphy's record shows he has stood by IAVA issues 100 percent since being sworn in, and he was especially instrumental in pushing to expand veteran education benefits and improving the Post-9/11 GI Bill. We look forward to working with him in the future on other key initiatives.”

Murphy thanked the IAVA for their service to veterans, adding “I am incredibly proud to work with organizations like the IAVA, in addition to the veterans we help every day. The most rewarding part of my job is my work with veterans and members of our nation’s Armed Services, and as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I will continue to be a strong advocate for our veterans to make sure they receive the benefits they need and deserve.”

The IAVA released their report on Murphy’s record of standing with returning veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, highlighting Murphy’s work on his push to pass the Post-9/11 G.I. Education Fairness Act of 2009. This expansion would allow returning veterans to receive assistance to pay for apprenticeship programs, technical training, flight training and preparatory courses for college admission tests. Murphy’s legislation would amend current law to expand the types of approved education programs in the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The full IAVA Congressional Report Card can be found online here.

Congressman Murphy has made fighting for veterans a priority during his first year in office.  As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, he has fought to get our men and women in the armed services the resources they need to do their jobs safely and successfully. Murphy has also worked with “Blue Water Navy” veterans across the country to get them the disability benefits they deserve due to injuries caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

The IAVA’s mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are in their seventh and eighth years respectively. Nearly two million American troops have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and thousands have been deployed multiple times. The IAVA addresses critical issues facing new veterans and their families, including mental health injuries, a stretched VA system, inadequate health care for female veterans, and GI Bill educational benefits. The IAVA also provides valuable resources and empowers veterans to connect with one another, fostering a strong and lasting community.