Sinema’s bipartisan bill extending American Legion membership for veterans who served in undeclared conflicts signed into law
WASHINGTON –Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema attended the White House’s bill signing ceremony of her LEGION Act –the first Senate bill sponsored by Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema. This is Sinema’s second Senate bill signed into law by the President.
Sinema’s bipartisan LEGION Act —supported by the American Legion and cosponsored by Republican Senator Thom Tillis (N.C.)—extends American Legion membership to honorably discharged veterans since World War II. Currently, only veterans who served during periods of declared hostilities are able to join the Legion.
“The LEGION Act’s success shows when we work across the aisle, we can deliver for everyday Americans—including improving services for veterans across Arizona,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“Recognizing the service of these wartime veterans is the right thing do and it is long overdue,” National Commander Brett P. Reistad said. “The families of those who were killed or wounded during these wartime acts should take pride in knowing that we recognize their sacrifice and service. Moreover, we are proud to welcome any of the six million living veterans from the previously unrecognized periods into our organization and call them ‘Legionnaires.’”
Sinema has led multiple successful efforts to strengthen services and protections for Arizona veterans. The LEGION Act is her second veterans bill to pass both chambers of Congress and head to the be signed into law. Recently, her bipartisan Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act, which safeguards veterans from predatory loan practices and helps them more easily access their earned homeowner benefits, was signed into law.
While in the U.S. House, Sinema cosponsored the VA MISSION Act, which is now law. The VA MISSION Act helps veterans receive care when they don’t live near a VA facility or when the VA can’t provide them with timely or specialty medical care. Sinema has also led the charge to reform the VA by being an original cosponsor of the VA Accountability Act and by supporting the VA Choice Act, both of which were signed into law. Additionally, Sinema worked with the family of Sgt. Daniel Somers, an Arizona veteran who lost his life to suicide, to introduce and successfully get signed into law the Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act which ensures veterans who serve in a classified capacity can get private counseling from the VA.
As a member of the Republican-controlled U.S. House, Sinema successfully secured bipartisan support for and passed into law more than 30 bills—including five bills focused on veterans’ care and benefits.