Burke County Democrats speak up for veterans' rights

TO THE EDITOR:

North Carolina is home to the nation’s eighth-largest veteran population and in order to stand up and affirm support for those communities across North Carolina, the North Carolina State Executive Committee passed five resolutions, four of which were submitted by the Burke County Democratic Party, at our 2026 Spring Meeting:

• Resolution 45 – Resolution Supporting Veterans’ Care
• Resolution 46 – Resolve to Protect Veterans and Veterans Benefits
• Resolution 47 – Resolution for Protecting Veterans from Predatory Actors
• Resolution 48 – Resolution of Support for Concurrent Receipt of Military Retirement Pay and VA Disability Compensation
• Resolution 49 – Resolution to Pass the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act

(Resolutions 45, 47, 48, and 49 were submitted by the Burke County Democratic Party.)

Within these resolutions, the North Carolina Democratic Party calls on Congress, the President, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pause the growth in outsourcing of veterans’ care to private providers under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and to fully staff all VHA positions as one of its top priorities so that veterans who choose VHA as their provider can receive in-house care at VA facilities.

Congress must oppose legislation that elevates the standing of unaccredited claims companies or legitimizes predatory practices targeting veterans; and pass legislation that will restore criminal penalties in the prosecution of unaccredited predatory claims companies that target veterans and their dependents.

These resolutions also address Donald Trump and Congress’ failed ability to pass budgets on time and explicitly outline that previous government shutdowns caused members of the Coast Guard to temporarily lose pay and benefits, resulting in unnecessary stress, financial problems, significant degradation in readiness, and an increased threat to the nation; and despite not being paid, they would continue to work because their jobs are a matter of national security.

The North Carolina Democratic Party asks Congress to approve and continue to increase the Coast Guard’s budget annually to meet national security requirements and funding priorities such as restoring readiness and recapitalizing legacy assets and infrastructure.

PAM GENANT

Burke County Democratic Party Chairman