Not all vets get their health care through the VA, but even for those who do, only some get dental care. We now have a chance to try to get dental care for Illinois Vets, provided that we all put forth the effort to make it happen.

State Sen. Omar Aquino has introduced SB 622 (http://cqrcengage.com/dentalil/app/bill/853397?7), and State  Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez introduced a corresponding bill, HB 1803 (http://cqrcengage.com/dentalil/app/bill/863394?1), that would, among other things, give us dental care.

Hopefully, these will be enacted, but it’s also highly possible that they will die in committee without ever reaching the floor for a vote. A key to moving the bills forward is for many other State Reps. and Senators to sign on as cosponsors. So far, the Senators who have signed are: Iris Martinez, Julie Morrison, and William McCann. The Reps. who have signed are: Kathleen Willis, Silvana Tabares, Sara Feigenholtz, and Will Guzzardi.

Ask members of your organization to contact their State Senators and Reps. to ask them to support this legislation by signing on as cosponsors.

If you don’t know who they are, go to: http://il–nea.capwiz.com/nea/il/directory/statedir.tt?state=IL&lvl=state

If you don’t like that website, and you vote in Chicago, go to www.chicagoelections.com. Click on the tab for VOTING, and from the dropdown menu, click on VOTER INFORMATION. Enter your information and click SEARCH. Then click on your name, and on the next page, click the tab for PUBLIC OFFICIALS, and you will not only get your State Rep. and Sen., but also every other elected official who represents (or rules over) you.

To track the progress on these bills, go to ilga.gov.  On the upper left part of the page is a window where you can input the number of the bill, and the latest information will be displayed.

Sincerely,

Larry E. Nazimek
CVO Vice Chmn.
Chmn. Of Veterans Affairs Cmte.