John Plahovinsak
The 118th Congressional Session officially ended with a whimper on December 20, 2024. All the proposed veterans-related legislative bills introduced over the last two years get thrown in the trashcan.
Veterans’ bills that were supported by many veterans’ service organizations (VSOs), such as suicide-prevention; homelessness; strengthening health care; expanding caregiver support; funding mental health services; and addressing K2 Toxic Exposure, must be re-introduced in Congress.
This will be the task of the members of the 119th Congressional Session, starting on January 3, 2025. On that day, members of the Senate and House of Representatives will be sworn in and officially begin their work.
Among the total 535 members that compose Congress, one hundred (100) of them are veterans. Eighty-seven (87) of the veterans will be in the House of Representatives and thirteen (13) veterans will be in the Senate.
These 100 veterans equate to a twenty-five (25%) percent increase in the number of veterans that served in the 118th Congressional Session. However, in 2017, the 115th Congressional Session had 102 veterans participating.
From a statistical perspective, veterans will make up over eighteen (18.6%) percent of the new Congressional Session. However, veterans make up over six (6.2%) percent of the population of the United States.
Unfortunately, the number of veterans in Congress will drop to ninety-eight (98) veterans on January 20, 2025, when Senator J.D. Vance will be sworn-in as Vice-President and Representative Mike Waltz will be sworn-in as the new National Security Advisor.
Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who won her seat by only 800 votes, will be one (1) of nine (9) female veterans serving in the new Session. This is the highest number of women veterans ever elected to Congress in a new Session.
The results of the November 2024 election illustrate a steady growth of veterans being elected to Congress. Experts believe that trend should continue in the future.
Veterans who were elected in 2024 include sixty-six (66) Republicans and twenty-one (21) Democrats. Those veterans elected, according to experts, have previously sworn an oath to protect our country and our constitution.
Analysts indicated that these veterans tend to be more independent than the average American and less interested in partisan political interests. They are also more disposed to consider what is best for the country.
The Director of the Maxwell School’s Executive Education Program, Steven Lux, stated “Military service provides a unique opportunity to lead others, to manage crises, to think strategically, to complete missions in the face of adversity, and work with people of varied backgrounds and interests.”
“Such things are invaluable assets in public office,” Director Lux concluded, “where leadership is crucial for navigating complex political landscapes and making informed decisions.”
My Opinion: There are four (4) points to be considered in terms of veterans being elected to Congress for the 119th Congressional Session.
First, having more veterans in Congress is always a good thing because they get to be represented and get their voices heard. Veteran lawmakers understand the sacrifices made by those who serve and frequently support initiatives like better health care services, mental health support, and educational benefits.
Second, veterans add a spirit of unity and bipartisanship. Beyond political differences, their shared experience of serving the country fosters a spirit of cooperation and shared purpose. On important issues, this unity can promote more productive communication and collaboration by bridging partisan political gaps.
Third, veterans can act as a unifying factor during a period of growing political battles by reminding their peers of the value of cooperating for the good of the nation. When it comes to proposing and passing legislation, I believe, veteran members are more effective, and sometimes veteran members are more efficient than their non-veteran elected officials.
Fourth, some of the strongest advocates in Congress for veteran-related legislative issues, such as mental health care, housing, training, medical services, suicide prevention and caregiver support are NOT veterans.
For example, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (of California) is an outstanding advocate for women veterans’ legislation. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (of Arizona) was instrumental in passing the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.
Rep. Greg Landsman (of Ohio) sponsored/co-sponsored over forty (40) pieces of veteran-related legislation this Session.
Congressional veterans cannot enact legislation without the assistance of non-veterans, such as the three (3) cited above. They must work with their non-veteran counterparts, in order to pass legislation that is beneficial to other disabled veterans.
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran, who served from 1967 to 1999. He is on the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Legislative Team. He can be contacted at: plahovinsak@msn.com.