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10-5-12

TMC Honors Lawmakers, Congressional Staff

The Military Coalition (TMC) presented its annual Awards of Merit to Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (Calif.) in a Capitol Hill ceremony this week, honoring their respective efforts on behalf of the uniformed services community. TMC also presented Freedom Awards to Carrie Wofford and Jeanette James, congressional staff members, for their significant service to military personnel. 

Sen. Murray chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and worked tirelessly on the Vow to Hire Heroes Act and to ensure the nation honors its commitments to veterans and their families. Rep. McKeon, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, was recognized for taking the lead in addressing the potentially devastating effects of sequestration spending cuts to the Department of Defense and protecting military families and retirees from disproportional TRICARE fee hikes.   Ms. Wofford is the senior counsel to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and was instrumental in efforts to halt predatory practices of some colleges with regard to veterans’ GI-Bill benefits. Ms. James, who is the lead healthcare analyst for the House Armed Services Committee, worked closely with the Congressional Budget Office on a multi-year TRICARE-for-Life (TFL) pharmacy demonstration that will, if enacted, generate adequate savings to minimize pharmacy copays for TFL beneficiaries in 2013 and beyond.

FRA is a leading member of TMC, which is currently comprised of 35 military and veterans groups that work together to advance legislation beneficial to military personnel, veterans, families and survivors.  Joe Barnes, FRA’s national executive director, co-chairs the Coalition and a number of FRA staff members serve in TMC leadership positions.