The Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service Act — also known as the LEGION Act — is a bipartisan effort that was introduced as a bill on February 14 by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. The Senate passed Bill S.504 unanimously on June 11 and it has subsequently been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. In its essence, S. 504 is seeking to expand legion membership eligibility to honorably discharged veterans who have served in unrecognized times of war since World War II.According to a recent article appearing on the legion.org website, “These veterans are unable to receive some of the benefits and recognition available to their counterparts who served during official wartime periods." As present Legion members already recognize, the American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives. On a local level, Post 39 Commander Scott Dean addresses how the LEGION Act directly affects future membership by saying, ¨I don´t think the organization will get stronger or continue to rebuild without a wider pool of veterans to help sustain the mission of the Legion.¨ If Bill S.504 makes it all the way through the legislative review process successfully and is enacted into law, and if the old adage that ¨there is strength in numbers¨ still rings true, then the Legion´s ability to serve more veterans and their respective communities stands to change dramatically in the years to come. For more information on Bill S-504, go to legion.org or follow the legislative action on S.504 LEGION on the congress.gov website.
Image source: legion.org