JCL 2022 Initiaves

(MOAA) SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

A “(MOAA) Southeastern Regional Legislative Committee” was formed in July 2018 to review on-going legislative issues at both the Federal and State level and to formulate initiatives, when necessary and appropriate, to support and protect the benefits and entitlements of military members (Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve), veterans, retirees, and their families in  southeastern Virginia. The Committee is officially recognized as a “non-voting” member of the (MOAA) Council of Chapters and is comprised of the “Directors of Government Relations” from the following MOAA chapters:

• The Hampton Roads Chapter (HRCMOAA)

• The Portsmouth Chapter (PACMOAA)

• The Virginia Peninsula Chapter (VIPMOAA)

In June 2019, the Committee hosted a meeting with representatives from the Hampton Roads District Offices of Senators Warner and Kaine and Representative Elaine Lauria at the Town Point Club in Norfolk, VA and selected “Surviving Spouses” from the Region to help gain support for eliminating the SBP-DIC offset (“Widows Tax”) that was denying “Surviving Spouses” a potentially significant amount of income associated with the combat-related death of their Spouse! The meeting was considered most successful as all three Congressional representatives supported the repeal of the offset which was signed into law in December 2019! Due primarily to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there have been no scheduled meetings during 2020- 2021. Committee members are optimistic about being “active” again in 2022!