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Veterans

“Our nation’s servicemen and women, their families, and our veterans have made tremendous sacrifices for our country.  We must honor their service by providing them with access to reliable and adequate health coverage, good-paying employment opportunities, and access to a higher education.”

Crowley Fighting to Improve Health Care for Veterans:

• In December 2007, voted for the largest increase in funding for veterans health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs 77-year history, ensuring that existing patients and returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan will continue to be cared for.

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• This increase in veterans’ health care will be used to focus efforts on veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury, reduce the claims backlog and wait times, and provide important maintenance to VA clinics.
• Spoke out against the inadequacies of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and ensured wounded troops would get the treatment they deserve by voting for the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act, which improves the efficiency and effectiveness of veterans’ medical care and became law in January 2008.

Crowley Supports Ensuring Veterans' Access to Local Health Care Facilities:

• Won a promise in August 2006 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that the four New York City VA hospitals – St. Albans in Queens, The Bronx VAMC, Manhattan Harbor Hospital, and Brooklyn – will remain open, operating and accepting new patients for the long term.
• Successfully persuaded the VA to open a Veterans’ Outpatient Health Clinic on Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside, and then secured into law a bill to rename this clinic after the late Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan, Jr.
• Fought to ensure patients at the new Sunnyside clinic could use either the Manhattan or Bronx VAMC as their parent hospital.
• Worked successfully with the New York American Legion to secure $6.4 million for cutting-edge medical care and to combat Traumatic Brain Injury.

Crowley on Keeping Veterans' Health Care Costs Low:

• Opposed the Bush Administration's repeated calls for an enrollment fee of $250 a year for category 7 and 8 veterans, who make as little as $26,902 a year, to use the VA medical facilities.
• Fought attempts to nearly double the co-payment for veterans’ prescription drugs from $8 to $15.

Crowley Working to Provide Economic Assistance and Tax Relief to Veterans:

• After passage of the 2008 stimulus package, Joe drafted and distributed information packets with a Q&A to notify constituents, especially veterans, seniors and low income workers, of the rebate check.  These pamphlets were later posted on the website of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
• Hosted the IRS at several community forums in the district to help ensure every qualified taxpayer received their 2008 economic stimulus rebate check.

• Helped draft the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act, which corrected tax provisions skewed against members of the military as well as increased tax credits and made tax benefits permanent for veterans. This measure became law in June 2008.

Crowley Advocates for Elimination of the Backlog of Social Security Disability Claims:

• Participated in several Ways and Means Committee hearings investigating the need to address the backlog of Social Security cases, particularly concerning our disabled veterans.
• Addressed a January 2008 hearing where a representative from United Spinal Association in Jackson Heights testified on the need for the Federal government to provide more efficient and effective assistance to disabled Americans, including many of our returning veterans.
• Working to address administratively the reduction or elimination of the 5-month waiting time before one can receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), as this backlog often leads to economic hardships for those suffering.

Crowley Pays Tribute to our Veterans:

• He worked with Keyspan and local officials to ensure that the old Keyspan gas tanks site would be set aside as a public park. Joe is now working with the Queens Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America to make this site not only a placid park, but a tribute to the Vietnam Veterans of Queens.
• Committed to ensuring local veterans receive previously-earned service medals they are entitled to, and has presented local veterans with these medals, including the Purple Heart, Silver Star, and the Philippine Liberation Medal.
• Passed language into law to ensure honor guards for all of our fallen military and veterans.

Crowley Preserving the American Dream for Our Nation’s Veterans:

• Cosponsored and voted for the entirely paid-for GI Bill for the 21st Century, which provides Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with fully funded four-year college scholarships, similar to those given to WWII veterans. This legislation was signed into law on June 30, 2008.
• Supported legislation to increase the VA Home Loan limit for high-cost housing areas to expand homeownership opportunities for veterans.
• Helped returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan avoid foreclosure by extending the amount of time a lender must wait before starting foreclosure from three months to nine months after a soldier returns from service.