At the start of the 2025 Legislative Session, it was my personal privilege to be appointed as the new Chairman of the New York State Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs by Speaker Carl E. Heastie. It is a responsibility and a leadership position that is a professional passion, having previously served as Chairman of the Suffolk County Legislature’s Veterans Committee for six terms.

As the 2026 session begins, I am proud to report on some of the many historic accomplishments we achieved for our veterans and their families during my first legislative session as Committee Chairman, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature and the Governor to ensure that we build on these successes in the New Year.

The FY 2025-2026 New York State Budget delivered a tremendous opportunity to provide essential funding for programs and services that benefit our veterans. For the first time since its creation, the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer-To-Peer Services Program was fully funded for every county throughout New York State. This vital program assists veterans of all eras, dealing with the challenges of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and other mental and behavioral health issues using veteran-to-veteran counseling. Our focus on mental health continued with the creation of a new Veterans Suicide Prevention Program, which includes initiatives such as enhanced risk assessment training, outreach tools, gun safety programs, and improved access to behavioral health services.

In addition, the FY 2025-2026 Budget included appropriations for the Military Family Relief Fund, which helps families access housing, clothing, food, medical services, utilities, or other necessities of daily living. The Budget also expanded the Gold Star Annuity Program to include parents, spouses and minor children of any service member who made the ultimate sacrifice in combat. Finally, we extended the Hire-a-Vet tax credit for an additional three years to provide businesses an enhanced economic incentive for veteran employment opportunities.

Throughout the year, I was also proud to stand with our veterans and their families to strongly oppose the Trump administration’s shameful and devastating cuts to VA staffing and services. These moves delay critical medical care, slash mental health services, and roll back access to housing. Too many of our veterans suffer in silence. We owe them and their families the support they need and have earned. This is our solemn duty, and we all have a responsibility to urge our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. to fully restore these essential resources immediately. Failure to do so is an unacceptable betrayal of our local heroes.

The Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee had its most productive session in a decade approving a historic 23 bills, many of which went on to pass unanimously by the full Legislature. Some of these important measures include:

• A2058 / S790: Requires the Women Veterans Coordinator of the Department of Veterans' Services to develop and implement a maternity care program for pregnant and postpartum veterans.
• A4751A / S2623-A: Ensures that New York State and local veterans’ service agencies include disabled veterans in employment assistance obligations.
• A5155 / S7129: Creates a veteran health care review to ensure veterans and their families have access to health and mental health treatment, including for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, military sexual trauma, reproductive and mental health conditions, and suicide prevention.
• A6579 / S2068-A: Tax relief for the men and women who serve our nation – providing a property tax exemption for active service members whose military duty station is within New York State and has served in a combat zone anytime during the taxable year.
• A8476 / S8150: Enacts the Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (GUARD) VA benefits act to increase penalties on individuals and entities who act in violation of federal and state law related to preparing, presenting, or prosecuting claims for veterans’ benefits including soliciting or receiving compensation in connection with a claim for VA benefits without being properly accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
• A8485 / S274-B: (Vets to Vollies Act) Requires the Department of Veterans' Services to provide information on the department's website on volunteer opportunities available to veterans and to post relevant application forms that a qualified veteran can use to apply for volunteer opportunities.

As my second year as Chairman of the Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee begins, I look forward to continuing this strong track record of impact and remain committed to ensuring that our heroes always receive the recognition, support, and services that they and their families deserve.