2023 -- H 6244 ======== LC002715 ======== S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 ____________ J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $72,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (RI VFW) FOR THE RI VETERANS SERVICES OFFICERS (VSO) PROGRAM Introduced By: Representatives Vella-Wilkinson, McEntee, Spears, Noret, Azzinaro, Solomon, Casimiro, Perez, Batista, and Shanley Date Introduced: March 30, 2023 Referred To: House Finance WHEREAS, Many veterans in our State are unsure of their status or how to access their 1 benefits as many of our municipalities do not have a local office, resulting in veterans needing to 2 access applications and information via the computer which is not always a viable option for 3 them; and 4 WHEREAS, The Department of RI VFW partners with the Veterans Administration 5 (VA) to certify Veterans Services Officers (VSOs) who are veterans, located in cities and towns 6 across Rhode Island who help veterans and their families with myriad issues including, 7 healthcare, housing, education and municipal tax reductions, as well as service-connected 8 disability claims, job readiness, home loans, and burial benefits; and 9 WHEREAS, It is necessary and essential to increase the VFW annual budget from 10 $28,000 to $100,000 for the purpose of expanding/publicizing the VSO program and enhancing 11 the lives of our veterans and military families; now, therefore be it 12 RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not 13 otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2023-2024, the sum of seventy-two thousand dollars 14 ($72,000) to the Rhode Island Department of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (RI VFW) for the RI 15 Veterans Services Officers (VSO) Program; and the state controller is hereby authorized and 16 directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum, or so much 17 LC002715 - Page 2 of 3 thereof as may be from time to time required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers. 1 ======== LC002715 ======== LC002715 - Page 3 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N MAKING AN APPROPRIAT ION OF $72,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (RI VFW) FOR THE RI VETERANS SERVICES OFFICERS (VSO) PROGRAM *** This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $72,000 to the Rhode 1 Island Department of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (RI VFW) for the RI Veterans Services Officers 2 (VSO) Program. 3 ======== LC002715 ========