(U.S. Senate) – The Disabled American Veterans today recognized U.S. Senator Jon Tester for his legislative efforts to serve ill and injured veterans and their families.

Executive Director Garry Augustine presented Tester with DAV’s Outstanding Senate Legislator of the Year Award.

“DAV provides valued support to our nation’s disabled veterans and their families,” said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.  “Its advocacy efforts on behalf of our injured heroes impacts the work done in Congress to provide high-quality benefits and health care to those who have sacrificed so much for us.  DAV has been instrumental in crafting legislation to honor women veterans and improving transportation for disabled veterans to see their doctors. I’m honored to work with the folks at DAV and I’m honored to receive this recognition from them.  I look forward to working with DAV in the future to make sure that we continue our efforts to honor and serve those who have served us.”

The DAV was active during the drafting of Tester’s Deborah Sampson Act, which will improve VA services for women veterans.

Tester and the DAV have worked together in the past to streamline the process for DAV volunteers to get certified to transport disabled and rural veterans to their VA doctors.  This critical service helps veterans who might not otherwise have a way to see their doctors get the care that they need.

“Your efforts on the Committee have resulted in needed changes to the most pressing issues for all injured and ill veterans from timely access to medical care, particularly for veterans in rural and remote areas, to the claims and appeals backlog,” Augustine said when informing the Senator of his award. “We salute your commitment to veterans not only as a Senator, but as a teenager playing Taps at numerous funerals for World War II veterans. You have continued the long respected manner by which the Committee conducts business working consistently in a bipartisan manner to help fulfil our nation’s promises to the men and women who served, their dependents and survivors. We greatly appreciate your leadership, and we look forward to continuing our work with you during the 115th Congress.”

More information about the Deborah Sampson Act can be found online HERE.