Continuing his commitment to recovery efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, Governor Charlie Crist today called a Special Session of the Florida Legislature from July 20, 2010 through July 23, 2010, to address a constitutional amendment banning offshore drilling in Florida waters.

To the Honorable Members of the Florida Senate & House of Representatives.

WHEREAS, recent events have conclusively shown the magnitude of damage oil spills
can cause to ecosystems and communities in Florida and elsewhere; and

WHEREAS, it is critically important that Florida's coastal communities, natural
resources, beaches, ecosystems, and the general welfare of this State are protected from the
harmful impacts of such events; and

WHEREAS, the voters of this State should be able to collectively decide, at their earliest
opportunity, whether they want to ban the exploration for, drilling for, extraction of, and
production of oil in Florida territorial seas; and

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WASHINGTON
(July 1, 2010)

The American Legion expressed outrage today over revelations that a VA medical center may have exposed veterans to serious infections through improperly cleaned dental equipment.
       
Because cleaning protocols were not followed by workers at the John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis, more than 1,800 veterans may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis viruses. Those veterans recently received letters from the VA center, warning them of possible exposure to the diseases and offering screening and support.
       
"This is an extremely serious problem that has happened before and will happen again unless VA takes whatever actions are needed to make sure our veterans don't run the risk of contracting deadly diseases," said Clarence Hill, The American Legion's national commander.

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Craig Roberts
(July 12, 2010)

Leaders of The American Legion are today celebrating a victory in the government-mandated streamlining of post-traumatic stress disorder benefits claims by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Announcements by both President Barack Obama during a weekend radio address and by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki signal a new and, in the Legion's opinion, more even-handed method of awarding benefits to those suffering the so-called "invisible wounds of war." The Legion played a key role in the VA's recognition and treatment of PTSD two decades ago.

Under new regulations, in effect as of Tuesday, July 13, veterans applying for PTSD-related benefits no longer need to produce official documentation and eyewitness reports corroborating their claims of traumatic stress injury, nor do they need to have suffered the traumatic stress in a direct combat situation. Under the new regulations, the intense fears of injury or death at the hands of not-easily-identified enemy combatants and terrorists, and in implied combat zones not delineated by formal battle lines, are now considered sufficient "stressors" to support PTSD claims. This opens the PTSD claims process to those former military personnel who were stationed in "behind the lines but still in grave danger," and to women veterans who are technically barred from assigned combat duty.

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WASHINGTON
(July 2, 2010)

During its review of pending House legislation yesterday at a congressional hearing, The American Legion recommended further improvements to the Rating and Processing Individual's Disability (RAPID) Claims Act.
      
The proposed legislation (H.R. 5549) would help to speed up procedures for considering the disability claims of veterans. In cases where veterans certify they have submitted "fully developed claims" (thoroughly documented to prove that disabilities are service-connected), VA can waive its own requirements for claim development.
       
While such a measure could speed up the granting of benefits to veterans, The American Legion voiced some concerns about the bill at a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs.
           
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