Today, Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) is criticizing the governor for, once again, wrongfully vetoing legislation that would ensure great financial benefit to many veterans across New York State.

Ra has been a long-time co-sponsor of the legislation known as the Veterans Buyback Bill. This bill would allow honorably-discharged veterans enrolled in New York State’s public employee retirement system an opportunity to buy back up to three years of state pension service credit for the time they spent serving their country in the armed forces.

“It is truly disheartening to see the governor fail our state’s veterans once again,” said Ra. “Year after year, we see costly misguided proposals put before the legislature, so why is it that our brave servicemen and women continue to be denied the support that they deserve? To the veterans and their families of my district, I assure you that I will continue to advocate for legislation that will amend the current, poorly crafted law and ensure that all New York State veterans receive the benefits they have earned.”

Under current law, many veterans who saw active combat are not able to receive the military service credit. Those individuals include participants of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia and Haiti, as well as others who provided military personnel aid in areas such as Israel, Turkey and Germany. This legislation would rightfully expand eligibility for recipients by extending the benefit to all veterans regardless of when and where they served.

This is the second consecutive year that the governor has vetoed the bill just shy of Veterans Day. The Veterans Equality Act has overwhelming bi-partisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.