June 9 2017

In this issue:
House Passes Financial Choice Act
VA to Use Same Electronic Record System as DoD
DHS Secretary Says USCG Budget Not Big Enough
Veterans Can Register for Online Exchange Shopping 

House Passes Financial Choice Act
The House passed the "Financial CHOICE Act" (H.R.10), which seeks to dramatically reshape the regulation of banking and other financial activities. This legislation includes a number of provisions weakening the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and its Office of Service Members Affairs. Specifically, FRA is concerned with Section 725 of the bill that would make the current mandatory Office of Service Member Affairs a discretionary office. A future Director could eliminate this important office. Further, Section 733 would remove CFPB's ability to regulate small-dollar loans, such as payday loans, despite evidence of pervasive predatory practices often focused on service members.

The Association wants to ensure that the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is enforced by regulatory agencies including the CFPB, Office of Service Members Affairs. FRA will work to ensure active duty personnel are protected from predatory lenders. 

The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration. Members can use the FRA Action Center to ask their Senators to oppose this legislation. 

VA to Use Same Electronic Health Care Record System as DoD
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. David J. Shulkin recently announced that the VA will dramatically reform his agency's Electronic Health Record (EHR) system by replacing the old antiquated system with same system used by the Department of Defense. This change is a shift from the VA's previous plan to develop its own digital records system. The system would bring the agencies closer to being able to share veterans' health information. This would solve a problem that has plagued both departments for decades. "The health and safety of our veterans is one of our highest national priorities." Shulkin said "Having a veteran's complete and accurate health record in a single common EHR system is critical to that care, and to improving patient safety." Secretary Shulkin claims the electronic records system has a high level of cyber-security. 

FRA has long sought to ensure adequate funding for DoD and VA health care resource sharing. It would deliver seamless, cost effective, quality services to personnel wounded in combat as well as veterans and their families. In Capitol Hill testimony, FRA has repeatedly called for increased oversight to motivate both agencies to make progress on this issue. 

DHS Secretary Says USCG Budget Is Not Big Enough
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) General John Kelly testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee this week. He discussed the DHS budget and his agency's efforts to keep Americans safe from any terrorist attack or other external threats. During the hearing Committee Chairman Senator Ron Johnson (Wis.) asked about the U.S. Coast Guard budget. The DHS Secretary said the Coast Guard is an amazing organization and its budget is not big enough. The agency needs to re-capitalize and some of their equipment is so old that "it just limps along."

The Trump Administration's FY2018 budget request substantially increases the Armed Services (Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force) spending. The U.S. Coast Guard does not get a corresponding increase in their budget request.

Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center to ask their legislators to provide U.S. Coast Guard funding parity with the Department of Defense (DoD). 

Veterans Can Register for Online Military Exchange Shopping 
Some veterans who register at VetVerify.org will be invited to be beta testers. They will have the ability to shop online earlier than the planned November 11, 2017 launch date. Officials said the sooner veterans register on the site, the better their chances of being chosen as a beta tester. Honorably discharged veterans interested in shopping online at military exchanges can begin their verification process immediately. Exchange officials said, some patrons may be able to shop online before the program's full launch. The exchange websites offer tax-free shopping, and discounted pricing. Actual online pricing can be seen only by those who are authorized to shop at the following websites:      

shopmyexchangeshopcgx, mymcx and mynavyexchange

VetVerify.org uses information from the Defense Department's Defense Manpower Data Center to verify a veterans' status. Veterans will receive notification of their acceptance as online shoppers. If their records are incomplete, they will receive guidance on how to update their records. Doing this in advance of the deadline will allow veterans to start shopping on November 1, or earlier if they are chosen as "beta testers" of the system. 

This new benefit, which would increase the online shopping base by an estimated 13 million veterans, only applies to online military exchange shopping. This will not affect shopping at the physical military installations. Until now, online exchange shopping was only available to active-duty, reserve and Guard members, retirees, 100 percent disabled veterans and their dependent family members, as well as certain others. 

Cindy Whitman Lacy, Marine Corps Exchange Director of Business and Support Services at Headquarters Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs said in a statement announcing the verifying website, "It's an honor to now provide this service and benefit to our well-deserving veterans. Once a Marine, always a Marine."

If you would like to hear a recorded version of NewsBytes, dial 1-800-FRA-1924 (ext. 112)

Follow FRA on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FRAHQ); Follow FRA on Instagram (www.instagram.com/fra_hq) and "like" FRA on Facebook (use the shortcut of www.fra.org/fb)