[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6116828,"mediaKeyId","2732127-a59f56db9b8ab1c0c26fb677419d7eab","parentId",2732127,"title","Veterans Affairs committee advances flood-awareness, veterans recognition measures to the House floor; one bill held","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",749000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732127-a59f56db9b8ab1c0c26fb677419d7eab&start=749&end=749","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732127-a59f56db9b8ab1c0c26fb677419d7eab/thumbnail_749000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6116828/Pennsylvania/Veterans-Affairs-committee-advances-flood-awareness-veterans-recognition-measures-to-the-House-floor-one-bill-held","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116828-760302d707c990c9aa55ae9f05224713/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170092&Signature=HFTwTfwmM9j3htCGH0rPK1~EyH3L7XeWG4vqRV6iN9XKb041HUNBztpk838xd7jG1bRgYwSD3pdnZToQX3jH6izCIY1r7xtNBr9ietC1uzcvtWknzkxUG6hslUM5F7VpXoSg~~dlhFk9oSS8gLTfqxgLo98VNKeACnYC7kDN1y7ZYEhlD8DiWklHgnE3HTvbCZAHzBLySmG8eoVRVlKE9XVnyM5FH9xw08w2n-hz9VCRTt5SYPgsoXrKC~JkcBFPPk9JziQndbA9WydXXxfZsxIBYYGwb7etQ5in7iuI9e7WkRK~2O5MlLwXVUyQVvj2AwMay30GAcQs74HEgX7SSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pennsylvania House of Representatives","date","2025-03-20T03:03:38Z","article","HARRISBURG, Pa. — The House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee on March 29 advanced a set of resolutions and bills to the full House for consideration and held one bill pending further stakeholder conversations.

House Resolution 122, introduced by Representative Zimmerman, was brought forward by motion from Representative Sappy and seconded by Representative Banta and \"moves unanimously to the floor,\" the committee recorded. In remarks, Representative Zimmerman said the resolution recognizes March '21 as Flood Awareness Week in Pennsylvania and highlighted a recent task force report that recommended dedicated flood insurance, training for licensed insurance agents and expanded real-estate disclosure information.

House Resolution 89, introduced by Representative McKenzie, designates March 29, 2025, as National Vietnam War Veterans Day in Pennsylvania. Representative McKenzie described the resolution as a symbolic recognition of veterans’ service; the motion to bring the resolution forward was made by Representative Wachro and seconded by Representative Borowski. The committee moved the resolution unanimously to the floor.

House Bill 865, sponsored by Representative Venkat and co-sponsored on committee remarks by Representative Craig Williams, seeks to confirm renewable eligibility under the military family education program for members of the Pennsylvania National Guard who were previously covered. Representative Venkat asked for an affirmative vote on the legislation; Representative Rigby moved to bring the bill forward, Representative Piali seconded, and the committee advanced the bill unanimously.

Senate Bill 173, introduced by Senator Penny Cook, would extend recognition and rights to eligible Korean American veterans who served between January 1962 and May 7, 1975, modeled after a recent federal Korean American Vietnam allies law. The committee considered a technical amendment (A00090) that changed language to read \"United States military forces\" consistent with DMVA preference; the amendment was explained by staff and adopted. The committee then moved the underlying bill unanimously to the floor.

House Bill 579, authored by Representative Bant, was taken \"over for today\" to allow further stakeholder conversations; no vote to advance that bill was recorded in the transcript.

Votes at a glance:

- House Resolution 122 (Zimmerman) — Motion to bring forward: Representative Sappy; second: Representative Banta; outcome: moved unanimously to the floor. Topic: flood awareness week; committee discussion referenced task-force recommendations on flood insurance and disclosure.

- House Resolution 89 (McKenzie) — Motion: Representative Wachro; second: Representative Borowski; outcome: moved unanimously to the floor. Topic: designates 03/29/2025 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day in Pennsylvania.

- House Bill 865 (Venkat) — Motion: Representative Rigby; second: Representative Piali; outcome: moved unanimously to the floor. Topic: confirmation of renewable eligibility for military family education program for Pennsylvania National Guard members.

- Senate Bill 173 (Penny Cook) — Amendment A00090 (technical) adopted; motion to consider and adopt amendment: Representative Sappy (mover) and Representative Kerwin (seconder); underlying bill moved unanimously to the floor. Topic: recognition and rights extension for eligible Korean American Vietnam-era allied veterans (service window Jan 1962–05/07/1975).

- House Bill 579 (Bant) — taken over for today for additional stakeholder conversations; no committee vote recorded.

Committee members offered brief context and personal remarks on several items. Chairman Kevin Gillan and other members referenced local flooding impacts — including damage to Antietam School District in Berks County — during discussion of the flood-awareness resolution. In the veterans-related items, members praised the measures as recognition of service and sought to ensure benefits reach eligible veterans.

No roll-call tallies were recorded in the committee transcript for the advanced items; the committee recorded no negative votes for the items it advanced.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee -- March 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee voted to advance two resolutions and two bills to the floor, unanimously, and held one bill for further stakeholder discussions.","taxTitle","Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness, House of Representatives, Legislative, Pennsylvania","taxId",29249,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6116833,"Committee hears oral histories from Vietnam-era wives and names them honorary members",3393,1081000,4474000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2732127-a59f56db9b8ab1c0c26fb677419d7eab&start=1081&end=4474","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2732127-a59f56db9b8ab1c0c26fb677419d7eab/thumbnail_1081000.jpg","/articles/6116833/Pennsylvania/Committee-hears-oral-histories-from-Vietnam-era-wives-and-names-them-honorary-members","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116833-c612af738e450eb45a23cf733b897840/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170091&Signature=nDN3UrVnb34yyd2FTrSnlU4L9ns-tSVfK9RjttvFqE6o~b2qKkc63qYNNIssMUEnRlMNL~UPVnfUuvZp3-RdNtgmOqW2qKCKhLjqnRxAz7avZ6IyMQLroGbXnKNmW1vBbig3kUCGuA8ODnSx8vE9X3tAC1vFDcua-1TA9jCY4gPsIFZtOSGcqmtOnUa8VxL0SilWtPqYh2Gkh6rCX9svYkgWbQk63sG9qCgMswrHGzq6GGwURGyS7KaN3CL-kFACaQVuNXBxZvqDRmzyBk3dYvJO-q6~thWp4I1pQK8kE35uibV91NOtO1BimCBDmQSe60rQ54Q~b1uxtoTt9KJDvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HARRISBURG, Pa. — The House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee on March 29 heard extended testimony from Charlotte McDaniel, author of Stories Untold: Oral Histories of Wives of Vietnam Servicemen, and several women she interviewed, then moved to make the visitors honorary members of the committee.

The testimony, which ran for more than an hour, brought personal accounts of life on the home front during the Vietnam era and the long-term effects on families. “This is truly an honor and a pleasure to be here,” Charlotte McDaniel told the committee as she introduced the book and described how she collected first-person accounts from more than 30 wives and family members.

The memoirs included accounts of weekly letter writing, care packages and “Mars” radio calls that confirmed service members were alive, as well as anecdotes of social stigma the families faced when servicemembers returned. Claudia Grantham, who described herself as the wife of a second lieutenant who served in Vietnam, said, “The one word that kept coming back to me as I thought about our time in the service … is support. We were the support.”

Other speakers described grief, long-term mental-health impacts and rebuilding life after loss. Holly Poltz read a prepared statement about being married 56 years to Dan Poltz, a Marine infantryman, and recounted his service at battles including Khe Sanh and the long-term wounds that followed. “When Dan came home, his service did not end,” Poltz said. “We see it in their quiet moments, in the sleepless nights, in the unspoken memories that haunt them.”

Laurie Spada, whose husband was killed in Vietnam and who said she later found healing through veteran-focused programs including Sons and Daughters in Touch, described attending a VA-affiliated PTSD group and how listening to other veterans’ accounts filled gaps in her understanding. Barbara LaPosta, whose husband served 21 years and later became 100% VA disabled, told the committee about practical VA supports the family has received, including equipment and home modifications.

Committee members responded with thanks and the committee’s bipartisan leadership moved to recognize the visitors. Chairman Kevin Gillan made a motion, seconded by Representative Webster, to make the women honorary members of the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee; members supported the motion with applause and no objections recorded in the transcript.

Chairman Gillan said the testimonies provided more emotion in the room than he had previously experienced in committee meetings, and he announced he had placed a donated Vietnam-era foot locker and mementos on display in his office to highlight the visit. Other members, including Representative Webster and Representative Sappy, described the remarks as “inspiring” and urged broader attention to the stories and needs of veterans’ families.

The guests said they hope the book and the public conversation will prompt more recognition of spouses’ and families’ sacrifices and draw attention to programs that help veterans and survivors. McDaniel said the project aimed to preserve stories that “no one ever has” recorded and to bring them to public attention.

The committee adjourned after the hour-plus program and a round of member remarks. The committee also advanced several separate agenda items earlier in the hearing (see separate article: committee actions and votes).","Members of the House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee hosted Charlotte McDaniel and several women featured in her book of oral histories about wives of Vietnam servicemen, heard extended testimony about wartime experiences and postwar care, and voted to make the visitors honorary committee members.","actionData","errors"]

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Veterans Affairs committee advances flood-awareness, veterans recognition measures to the House floor; one bill held

Committee hears oral histories from Vietnam-era wives and names them honorary members