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Members of the military Reserve and National Guard would get the same proof of service form following the completion of their service as all other members of the military under legislation introduced by Senator Gary Peters.
Having a different form has caused confusion for certain private sector and VA benefits that would otherwise apply to them. “And that just puts our men and women who serve in the Reserve and the Guard at a disadvantage and makes their life more complicated and that simply makes no sense,” said Peters.
Michigan is home to over 15,000 reservists and National Guardsmen, and this bill will make it easier for them to prove their service and access veterans benefits that they qualify for.
The legislation has the support of a number of organizations, including the Reserve Officers Association of America, National Guard Association of the United States and the National Guard Association of Michigan.
Another issue that Senator Peters is dealing with is the response to PFAS contamination sites.
A report released by the Environmental Working Group highlighted at least 610 known sites across the country containing high levels of PFAS contamination, including 192 in Michigan.
Senator Peters was able to include a provision in the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration last year that allows airports to discontinue the use of firefighting foam containing PFAS. Airports had previously been required to use these foams by law and under outdated guidance.
Peters introduced bipartisan legislation to force the EPA to designate PFAS as hazardous under the Superfund law within a year, making sites eligible for cleanup funds and requiring polluters to undertake/pay for remediation.
“That means we can start cleanup and it also means, more importantly, that those companies that may have dumped that material on these sites will be held accountable for the cleanup,” Peters said.
While Michigan has the highest level in part due to aggressive testing in place by the State, it reaffirms the need to take action on PFAS, which is linked to serious health issues, including cancer and a wide variety of thyroid, kidney, liver and heart problems.
