Delaware bill would create state-level Dept. of Veterans Affairs

DOVER, Del. – The holidays have arrived and Delaware lawmakers want veterans to know that they’re at the top of mind heading into the New Year, and it comes in the form of a bipartisan bill that would be a game changer for veterans affairs in the First State.

Investing in Delaware’s veterans. That’s the goal of a new, bipartisan bill that would create a state-level Department of Veterans Affairs. A measure that, if passed, would put an increased level of focus on veterans needs at the highest level of state government.

That’s something that Dave Skocik, president of the Delaware Veterans Coalition, tells our Rob Petree is needed now more than ever before.

“If we don’t take care of mother and father who served, don’t expect son and daughter to raise their right hand and go into the military,” Skocik explained. “We’ll have much more impact, and greater outreach, than the current situation. We have veterans that are dying prematurely because they’re not being helped fast enough, or are disabled.”

Tragically, that’s become a grim reality for Delaware veterans, and it’s something state lawmakers are on a mission to change. Among those legislators is State Senator Eric Buckson, a sponsor of the bill and member of the Veterans Affairs Committee.

“When you separate veterans out, and create its own entity, you put the focus where it needs to be, on veterans affairs,” Sen. Buckson said while explaining the importance of creating the department to stand on its own with a special focus on veterans.

The bill was introduced last week and has already brought Democrats and Republicans together. Skocik believes that the list of supportive lawmakers will only grow ahead of the upcoming session in the Delaware General Assembly.

“We’ve got people on both sides supporting this,” Skocik said. “I think that will increase when they see that this makes sense, it’s the right thing to do, it’s the moral thing to do, it will help recruitment.”

Sen. Buckson agreed and had a message for his colleagues who might still be on the fence, specifically when it comes to a potential cost of creating such a department in state government.

“In the State of Delaware, the return on that investment is significant,” Sen. Buckson emphasized. “And even if it wasn’t, the sacrifice that our veterans have made, it doesn’t have to be a return on investment, they have already sacrificed enough and we should be there to support them.”

The legislation currently awaits consideration in the House Veterans Affairs Committee.