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

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.