U.S. House to Vote on Buchanan's Vets ID Card Act

Press Release

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote this evening on Congressman Vern Buchanan's Veterans ID Card Act, bipartisan legislation allowing all veterans to receive official identification cards through the VA. The measure (H.R. 91) has been endorsed by House Veterans Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller and several military service organizations including AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans for Common Sense.

A roll call vote is expected on Buchanan's bill at 6:30 p.m.

"Over the years, I have heard from countless veterans in Florida and across the country who have expressed frustration over their inability to document their service to our country without carrying around their official military records," said Buchanan who served four years on the House VA Committee. "My bill would correct that problem, enabling all veterans to obtain their own simple, standardized ID card at no cost to the taxpayers."

Under current law, veterans who do not qualify for a VA-issued ID card must carry around a paper DD-214 document to prove their veteran status. This form contains sensitive personal information including social security numbers and service details that put veterans at needless risk for identity theft. H.R. 91 would minimize this threat. A standard identification card would also provide employers looking to hire veterans with an easier way to verify an employee's military service as well as give veterans the ability to take advantage of service-related discounts.

The Veteran's ID Card Act is cost neutral as the small fee for the ID card would be paid for by the veteran. The bill also requires the Secretary of the VA to review and assess costs every five years and change the fee structure appropriately to cover all ID costs under the bill.

As of Monday, the Veterans ID Card Act had 78 cosponsors including House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, Ranking Member Corrine Brown, Rep. Randy Forbes, Rep. Alma Adams, Rep. Joe Courtney, Rep. Chris Stewart, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. William R. Keating, Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, Rep. , Lynn A. Westmoreland, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Bobby L. Rush, Rep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick, Rep. Alan S. Lowenthal, Rep. Denny Heck, Rep. Steven M. Palazzo, Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr., Rep. Robert A. Brady, Rep. Walter B. Jones, Jr., Rep. Jim Cooper, Rep. Reid J. Ribble, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Rep. Jared Polis, Rep. Joseph R. Pitts, Rep. James P. McGovern, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Doug Lamborn, Rep. John Conyers Jr., Rep. Ander Crenshaw, Rep. Lynn Jenkins, Rep. Barbara Comstock, Rep. Bill Shuster, Rep. Billy Long, Rep. Robert E. Latta, Rep. Peter Welch, Rep. Patrick Murphy, Rep. Cheri Bustos, Rep. Carlos Curbelo, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, Rep. Scott R. Tipton, Rep. Jose E. Serrano, Rep. David G. Reichert, Rep. Dennis A. Ross, Rep. David W. Jolly, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Rep. Edward R. Royce, Rep. Steve Chabot, Rep. Trent Franks, Rep. Ted S. Yoho, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Rep. James A. Himes, Rep. Theodore E. Deutch, Rep. Steve Cohen, Rep. Rick Larsen, Rep. Candice S. Miller, Rep. Elizabeth H. Esty, Rep. Ryan A. Costello, Rep. Henry C. "Hank," Jr. Johnson, Rep. Tim Walberg, Rep. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo,Rep. Peter T. King, Rep. Joe Barton, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Rep. Tom Cole, Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. Frank C. Guinta, Rep. David P. Roe, Rep. Albio Sires, Rep. Blake Farenthold, Rep. Cynthia Lummis and Rep. Bill Posey.

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