Video & Transcript Research : 'Cold War veterans'
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KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Legislative Oversight & Investigations Committee (1-15-26) - Upon Adjournment
Transcript Highlights:
- Veterans Affairs, or KDVA, through the Office of Kentucky Veteran Centers, or OKVC, to serve our veteran
- 96 veterans.
- </c> Kentucky, which had 96 veterans. Kentucky, which had 96 veterans.
- </c> Department of Veterans Affairs. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- . veterans. veterans.
Keywords:
Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:00
Approve Minutes from November 13, 2025- 00:00:55
RiverLink Tolling Operations for Louisville Bridges-Quarterhill Testimony- 00:01:48
Staff Report on Veterans’ Centers- 00:26:45
Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Response to Staff Report- 0:58:53
Adjournment- 1:18:00, 958, all
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes from the November 13, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony from Quarter Hill, the tolling subcontractor for RiverLink on the Indiana-Kentucky bridge system. Quarter Hill described its role in back-office support and call center operations for the Lincoln, Kennedy, and Lewis and Clark bridges, and said the contract began in 2021 with go-live in September 2023. The company reported that revenue has increased since it took over, customer service response times have improved, and it has been operating at a loss because the contract was based on outdated transaction estimates and did not account for higher-than-expected volume and added support costs.
Members questioned Quarter Hill about the role of consultants, the low reported collection rate, and why the company was leaving the contract. Quarter Hill said a single large consulting engineering firm had been hired to help shape the RFP and contract, but argued that consultants and overly detailed requirements can create disputes and hinder efficient service. On collection rates, the company said the reported 85% rate reflects the absence of registration holds and other enforcement tools, and that the remaining unpaid tolls are the hardest to collect. The company also said it had lost significant money on the contract and had reached a change order and termination agreement, while emphasizing that the system itself was functioning well.
The committee then received a staff report on Kentucky veterans centers. Staff said quality of care is generally high and staffing has improved, but reported occupancy figures are misleading because they are based on certified beds rather than functional capacity after conversions to single-occupancy rooms and capital projects. The report said actual occupancy is closer to 85% than the commonly reported 56%, and that increasing occupancy would not necessarily increase revenue because the state’s cost of care exceeds reimbursement and private-pay revenue. Recommendations included adopting functional occupancy reporting, continuing the move to single-occupancy rooms, reviewing modernization needs at Thompson Hood, including Eastern Kentucky in planning, and referring the Radcliffe HVAC procurement and installation to the Auditor of Public Accounts and Attorney General for review.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><01:29:19.200><c> So</c> veterans cemetery. So veterans cemetery.
- </c><01:29:31.640><c> So</c> veterans of the secret war in Laos.
- So veterans of the secret war in Laos.
- eligibility, including for veterans of the secret war in Laos.
- </c> here because of the Secret War of Laos. here because of the Secret War of Laos.
Keywords:
grooming, child protection, student safety, sexual exploitation, educator licensing, teacher discipline, mandatory reporting, mandated reporter training, school misconduct, predatory offender, child abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, position of authority, school employee, school administrator, license revocation, license suspension
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Feb 18th, 2026
Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- We believe this will remove eligible veterans from the rolls, create new barriers for U.S. citizens..
- C.S. for Senate Bill 1602 on Housing for Veterans.
- the language directing Florida Housing Finance Corporation to establish and oversee the Homes for Veterans
- basic idea of this bill is to provide a vacancy relief trust fund to hold a vacant dwelling for a veteran
- For the purpose of implementing the Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program.
Keywords:
transportation, memorial, honorary designation, Miami-Dade, Charlie Kirk, transit-oriented development, housing affordability, mixed-use zoning, urban development, traffic congestion, elections, voter registration, citizenship, provisional ballots, election fraud, vertiports, aviation, airport infrastructure, economic development, veterans
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine the nomination of Paul Lawrence, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Feb 19th, 2025 at 08:30 am
Senate Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- And to the veterans watching today.
- America's veterans.
- To a lot of veterans, Dr.
- And when we look at the transition, I think for many veterans on this panel and many veterans veterans
- veterans.
Keywords:
veterans affairs, VA modernization, employee layoffs, mental health, suicide prevention, transparency, senate committee, bipartisan support, oversight
Summary:
The meeting involved detailed discussions on various veterans' issues, particularly focusing on the challenges faced by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amidst a backdrop of significant staffing changes. Members expressed deep concerns over the recent layoffs of over 1,000 VA employees, emphasizing the crucial nature of these positions in the context of mental health support for veterans, particularly amid rising suicide rates. Senators articulated the need for transparency and effective communication between the VA and Congress to avoid further breakdowns in services. The session also spotlighted the ongoing modernization of VA systems and the urgent need to streamline processes to benefit veterans effectively.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Veterans and Military Affairs Division 4/15/26
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- My grandfather, a proud World War II veteran, received his high school diploma in the 1990s under New
- </c> Korean War era and Vietnam era veterans. Korean War era and Vietnam era veterans.
- I knew a career and war veteran.
- I knew a career and war veteran.<00:37:36.320><c> Not</c><00:37:36.480><c> only</c><00:37:36.640><c>
- Both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, the Department of War, are investing
Keywords:
veterans, veterans affairs, mental health, behavioral health, rural health, rural areas, access to care, task force, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, general fund appropriation, veteran suicide prevention, PTSD, service members, military families, telehealth, rural psychiatry, high school diploma, armed forces, education policy, military service
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Feb 24th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome, everyone, to the Technology and Economic Development and Veterans Committee meeting of Tuesday
- Senate Bill 5420 is the bill that relates to veteran benefits.
- Welcome back, everyone, to the Technology, Economic Development & Veterans Committee, and we are ready
- Welcome back, everyone, to the Technology Economic Development Veterans Committee, and we are ready to
- The expansion that allows more veterans to have access to things that they have earned, as well as the
Bills:
SB5420
Keywords:
veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Feb 18th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the Wednesday, February 18th meeting of the Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans
- With Senate Bill 5420, ensuring access to state benefits and opportunities for veterans, uniformed service
- Senate Bill 5420 relates to veteran benefits.
- As background, there are several types of benefits and preferences that are available to veterans and
- The bill before you, Senate Bill 5420, makes several changes to eligibility for various veteran benefits
Bills:
SB5420
Keywords:
veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs Apr 7th, 2025
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was originally founded at the local level in 1899 by
- veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War to advocate for paid medical care
- HCR 7 seeks to designate September 29th as Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Day for a 10
- Veterans Land Board.
- Homeless veterans.
Keywords:
Veterans of Foreign Wars, veterans, commemoration, military service, recognition, September 29, waiver programs, toll roads, discount programs, transportation, affordable housing, land bank program, low-income households, Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, HB 2061, Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 225, State Highway 242, Interstate Highway 69, Montgomery County
AL
Alabama 2026 Regular Session
Alabama House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Jan 21st, 2026
Military and Veterans Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Particularly with the veterans and their office as well.
- Now, the way the law is today, if a veteran dies and the spouse is still living, they have to do it.
- It says replace line 95 on page four with the following: qualify permanently and totally disabled veterans
- Then the veteran passes, but yet they will immediately have to go and start.
- Then the veteran passes, but yet they will immediately have to go and start—they have additional financial
Keywords:
homestead exemption, disabled veterans, tax relief, annual verification, property tax, state holidays, federal holidays, public holidays, legal holidays, office closures, state employees, personal leave, compensatory leave, bank closures, school closures, Mardi Gras, Mobile County, Baldwin County, Rosa Parks Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- , and it would direct the Texas Veterans Commission to develop a statewide veteran suicide prevention
- Currently, the Texas Veterans Commission operates the Military Veteran Peer Network, which is tasked
- better than our fellow veterans.
- Mitch Fuller from the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Mr.
- Most of the time, actually, the best person to help a veteran talk to a veteran is a fellow veteran.
Keywords:
veterans, mental health, Texas Veterans Commission, peer support, suicide prevention, community mental health, grant program, cemetery, General Land Office, burial plot, remembrance, monthly designation, honoring military, Texas legislation, rural services, paid leave, fire protection personnel, military service, public employees, employment benefits
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The Senate Veteran Affairs Committee will come to order. Clark will call the roll. Hancock? Here.
- There is other business that needs to be discussed before the Veteran Affairs Committee, the ring nuns
- The Veteran Affairs Committee stands in recess, subject to the call of the chair.
Keywords:
public school finance, property values, homestead exemptions, funding allocation, education policy, public school bonds, school funding, guarantee prohibition, education finance, state law change, veterans, mental health, Texas Veterans Commission, peer support, suicide prevention, community mental health, grant program, cemetery, General Land Office, burial plot
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- Connor Junkin, Executive Counsel for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Counsel for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Council for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Unsatisfied with the VA care, veterans go to private health care facilities.
- So what this bill would do is allow a one-time use per facility, per veteran.
Keywords:
exemption, motor vehicles, health savings accounts, debt relief, bankruptcy, civil procedure, abandonment, default judgment, court costs, notice requirements, construction contracts, jurisdiction, dispute resolution, public policy, Louisiana law, professional engineer, peremptive periods, construction, architect, real estate developer
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/09/2026 - Senate Military Affairs and Border Security
Military Affairs and Border Security
Transcript Highlights:
- I was previously married to a 26-year Air Force veteran who served in multiple wars, which left me as
- I'm Greg Harrell, the State Commander of the Arizona Veterans of Foreign Wars, United States, retired
- I'm here representing the State of Arizona Veterans of Foreign Wars.
- We are veteran-owned and operated, with over 200 employees who are veterans, spouses of veterans, or
- veterans, is a veteran looking to protect veterans.
Keywords:
outdoor advertising, military compatibility, zoning, electronic signage, permitting, undocumented immigrants, financial services, identification requirements, loans, foreign remittances, transitional housing, military, veterans, grant program, supportive services, SB1511, commercial driver license, CDL, nondomiciled CDL, nondomiciled commercial driver license
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- Military and Veterans Affairs committees kind of changed.
- Chairman, Charlton McGinley, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Both of my parents were Vietnam veterans. My mother is no longer with us.
- But we also have a lot of friends and first cousins who are also veterans.
- I'm the Executive Director of Military Veterans Advocacy.
Keywords:
legal representation, attorney general, elected officials, defense, legislative acts, judicial review, judiciary, election, judges, 19th Judicial District Court, East Baton Rouge, precincts, coroner, retention, body, mortuary, investigation, missing persons, Amber Alert, Endangered Missing Child Advisory
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Feb 4th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the Wednesday, February 4th meeting of the Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans
- And the Democrats will be in J-Lobe 114, which is what we call the cold room. We're at the...
- And the Democrats will be in J-Lobe 114, which is what we call the cold room.
- And the Republicans in this cold room? Sure. All right. See you soon.
- arbitrary 20-year rule around something that affects a good number of veterans.
Keywords:
social disadvantage, business certification, state guidelines, economic equity, minority-owned businesses, combat veterans, support, military service, injury compensation, veteran affairs, 904, all
Summary:
The committee first heard an update from the Department of Commerce’s new state broadband director on Washington’s BEAD broadband program and permitting plans. He said Washington’s final BEAD proposal, submitted to NTIA in September and resubmitted in January after roughly 25 rounds of federal revisions, is still awaiting approval. He explained that the federal program now prioritizes lower-cost technologies more than fiber, and that Washington’s preliminary awards would connect about 166,000 homes and small businesses with roughly 35% fiber, 38% fixed wireless, and 27% low-earth-orbit satellite. He also described the state’s permitting strategy, including a goal of issuing broadband permits within 90 days, use of permitting roundtables, and hiring NEPA expertise to speed environmental and historic review while coordinating with state, local, federal, and tribal partners.
Members asked about the relationship between NEPA and SEPA, how the federal funding total changed from earlier expectations, the long-term costs and durability of fiber versus fixed wireless and satellite, and whether broadband permitting lessons could inform other infrastructure work such as transmission. The witness said NEPA can function as an umbrella for other environmental reviews, that the federal allocation has not been rescinded but only a portion is currently available for deployment, and that fiber is the most durable long-term investment even though it is more expensive up front. Members also discussed how density affects the feasibility of fiber deployment, with the witness noting that remote areas become exponentially more expensive to serve.
The committee then considered House Bill 2684, which would add Middle Eastern and North African groups to the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises’ socially disadvantaged certification framework. Five proposed amendments were debated, but none were adopted. The amendments would have narrowed the rebuttable presumption by requiring findings of current discrimination, required disaggregated subgroup data analysis, tied the rules to the state constitution, and required consistency with federal law and Attorney General review. After debate, the bill passed the committee on a 7-4 vote with two excused, and was reported out with a do pass recommendation.
Finally, the committee unanimously approved House Joint Memorial 4012, which urges Congress to address the 20-year rule affecting certain combat-injured veterans and create parity in recognition and benefits. The memorial was reported out with a do pass recommendation on an 11-0 vote, with two members excused.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/26/2026 - Senate Military Affairs and Border Security
Military Affairs and Border Security
Transcript Highlights:
- Do we respect only veterans, or can we respect people that help veterans? It's all connected.
- That help veterans.
- Because there's a lot more veterans that could probably use... ...because there's a lot more veterans
- I also support veterans. I have family members that are veterans.
- veterans.
AL
Alabama 2026 Regular Session
Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee Mar 4th, 2026
Finance and Taxation General Fund
Transcript Highlights:
- It deals with a certificate that a veteran has been deemed 100% disabled.
- or closing officer from considering ad valorem taxes in a debt-to-income ratio calculation if the veteran
- It replaces line 76 through 77 with the following. >> It deals with a certificate that a veteran has
- or closing officer from considering ad valorem taxes in a debt-to-income ratio calculation if the veteran
- or closing officer from considering ad valorem taxes in a debt-to-income ratio calculation if the veteran
Keywords:
education policy, wireless communication devices, internet safety, social media, mental health, HB487, Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program, veterans, disabled veterans, dependents, spouse benefits, widow benefits, children of veterans, tuition assistance, education benefits, scholarship, college aid, undergraduate tuition, private school reimbursement, books and fees
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security Feb 11th, 2026
Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security
Transcript Highlights:
- The Committee on Military, Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security will now come to order.
- Members, we're going to slip forward and go to tab two, and we're going to talk about SB 1594, veteran
- Senate Bill 1594 would ensure that veterans' benefits that are accessed by a foster care agency are not
- And for veterans transitioning into civilian life, entrepreneurship can be a path to independence.
- Serving veterans throughout your entire, literally your entire tenure in the Florida Senate.
Keywords:
veterans, military spouses, business incentives, tax exemptions, economic development, veteran benefits, minor clients, financial assistance, education services, Department of Children and Families, Department of Health
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Military, Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security met with a quorum present and took up two bills. SB 1594, by Senator Gates, would change how veterans’ benefits received on behalf of foster youth are handled so the funds are not used to offset foster care costs, but instead are preserved for post-secondary education or aftercare services when the youth leaves foster care. The bill drew one supportive appearance from Victoria Zep of Family Support Services, had no debate, and was reported favorably by a unanimous roll call vote. Senator Sharief later asked to be recorded as a yes vote on the bill.
The committee then considered SB 1182, by Senator Jones, which creates the Florida Veterans and Military Spouses Business Development Act to provide fee relief and tax incentives for veteran-owned and military spouse-owned businesses. The committee adopted Jones’s strike-all amendment, which added information-sharing and verification provisions, refined the tax exemptions, and broadened eligibility for fee waivers and sales tax relief. After no questions or debate, the amended bill was reported favorably by unanimous vote.
The committee also held a confirmation hearing for three appointees—Matthew Bacchano, Tim Thomas, and Belinda Kaiser—and recommended confirmation on all three in one vote. The meeting concluded with several members offering remarks praising Chair Wright’s long service and leadership on veterans’ issues, followed by adjournment.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/18/2026 - Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency
Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- Madam Chair and members, House Bill 2439 exempt single user public or semi-public cold plunges.
- The question we typically get when we first talk about this bill is, what's a cold plunge?
- It's a cold bath, the tub that is used for method healing and wellness.
- area for these cold plunges.
- So I can live with the idea of single-user public cold plunges, but semi-public cold plunges—so now who's
Keywords:
AHCCCS, lactation care, breastfeeding, health services, healthcare access, HB2324, fire code, fire marshal, state fire marshal, municipalities, cities and towns, county-owned buildings, county buildings, intergovernmental agreement, IGA, fire inspection, occupancy certificate, building inventory, local government, county government
AL
Alabama 2026 Regular Session
Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee Feb 25th, 2026
Education Policy
Keywords:
military installations, tall structures, local government, construction approval, wind energy facilities, archives, history, board of trustees, vacancies, government control, computer science, education reform, digital literacy, high school graduation, teacher training, education, public schools, constitution amendment, national anthem, weekly broadcast