For most of the past century, the U.S. Congress has shaped veterans’ issues and benefits with the able and direct assistance of the Veterans’ Service Organizations. Some of these VSOs are very familiar to most of the public. Organizations such as the American Legion — of which I have been a proud member for almost 40 years — the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the AMVETs, and dozens of others have been specially charged by Congress to help shape legislation that allows our debt to veterans to be effectively met. 

One of the great hallmarks of this relationship is that the VSOs have always understood that some things can be done, others cannot; that the Congress has limited resources and that these limited resources need to be focused to do the maximum good. The VSOs (unlike AARP, unions, and the Chamber of Congress) have never advocated every dollar imaginable. They have been valuable members of the legislative process, guiding the discussion on what is possible and getting the most for the veterans from that pot. 

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It is this forbearance that has allowed the VSOs unprecedented access to the “sausage making” process. They are often in the room helping to shape policy........

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