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Politics

Vern Buchanan Wants to Replace DD-214 With Veterans ID Card

April 8, 2015 - 6:00pm

A Florida congressman is looking to ensure every veteran receives an ID card from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and insists it can be done without burdening taxpayers.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., introduced the Veterans ID Card Act earlier this year and showcased the bill on Thursday. Buchanans bill would ensure all veterans receive ID cards from the VA instead of just those who served 20 years in the armed forces or are seeking medical treatment for service-related wounds. Buchanan said veterans are forced to carry DD-214 paperwork, which contains sensitive information including Social Security numbers, and an ID card would be more convenient and would do a better job of keeping their personal information secure.

"Over the years I have heard from countless veterans who have expressed frustration over their inability to prove their military service in our armed forces," Buchanan said on Thursday. "A simple, affordable, standardized ID card will make life a little bit easier for our veterans and serve as a reminder to folks that these brave men and women deserve all the care and respect a grateful nation can offer."

Buchanan insisted his bill was budget neutral since veterans who opted for the ID card would have a small fee which the VA secretary would examine every five years. More than a dozen members of Congress have signed on as co-sponsors including U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va.; U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C.; and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn.

The bill has also won the backing of veterans groups including AMVETS and Veterans for Common Sense (VCS)

"VCS is honored to support this simple, make-sense legislation," said Anthony Hardie, the director of VCS. Thank you to Rep. Buchanan for introducing this legislation, which would make it easier for many veterans to easily prove their veteran status in a simple, convenient, and credible manner."

AMVETS is especially supportive of this cost-neutral legislation because it will not only provide a much-needed improvement over the current proof of military service document, the DD-214, but it will be carried out in a fiscally responsible way which will have minimal impact on the Veterans Administration which finds itself mired in the midst of massive claims backlogs and other issues, said Diane Zumatto, the national legislative director for AMVETS.


Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN

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