REMARKS
Council Member Robert Holden introduces oversight hearing on NYC Veterans Advisory Board
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3 min
Council Member Robert Holden, chair of the Committee on Veterans, opens the oversight hearing on the New York City Veterans Advisory Board (VAB). He provides background on the VAB's establishment, its role, and the purpose of the hearing, which is to examine the VAB's effectiveness and explore potential improvements.
- Holden explains that the VAB was created in 2015 through Local Law 113 and is mandated to advise the Department of Veterans Services (DVS) commissioner on veterans' issues.
- He highlights the importance of veterans' perspectives in civic life and outlines the VAB's structure, including appointments and public sessions.
- The hearing aims to review the VAB's recent recommendations and assess how the City Council can better support its mission.
Robert Holden
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Thank you.
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Thank you, sergeant.
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Good afternoon.
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I'm council member Robert Holden, chair of the Committee on Veterans.
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Welcome to our oversight hearing on the New York City Veterans Advisory Board.
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In 2015, the New York City Council passed local law 113, which required the creation of the Veterans Advisory Board or VAB.
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The VAB was established pursuant to chapter 75, section 3103 of the city charter.
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The VAB's role is to advise the commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans Services on issues concerning veterans as well as active duty reserve and guard service members in New York City and to connect the mayor's administration, DVS, New York City Council, and the veterans community.
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Veterans have served with dedication and distinction and possess invaluable perspectives on civic life.
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Their voices should be heard not only on national matters, but also on local and state issues that impact their lives and their families.
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Members of the VAB are appointed to 3 year terms either by the mayor or the city council speaker.
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Actually, 5 public sessions or I'm sorry, annually 5, public sessions, 1 in each borough, are required to be held in order to collect public input on issues of importance and or concerns to the veteran community.
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In its annual report, the VAB recounts its activities, for the past year and plans for the coming year, reports on progress of its prior recommendations, including updates on proposed legislation, and offers new recommendations to the mayor and the city council, as well as to to DVS on policy program and legislation.
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Today, we'll we'll be looking at, the VAB's most recent recommendations and hearing from both DVS and the VAB on how each sees the work and effectiveness of the VAB.
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It is important to note that our committee has been asked to hold, this hearing about the VAB by interested public stakeholders, and today, we are doing just that.
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So, you know, how can we how can the city council better support the VAB and its mission, and what improvements can be made to ensure that veterans' voices are amplified and acted upon?
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That is the focus of today's hearing.
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So at this time, I'd like to acknowledge my colleagues on the committee.
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We have, Vicky Paladino, from Queens and Joanne Arriola from Queens.
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Any anybody else?
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Christie?
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No.
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Okay.
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Also, I'd like to thank the I'd I'd like to also thank the committee staff who worked to prepare for this hearing.
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John LaRosa, our legislative counsel to my right, Regina Paul, out in the audience, or she's she's in another room.
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So, policy analyst.
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We saw
Mercedes Elias
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her, though.
Robert Holden
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Yes.
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Ross Ross Goldstein, our financial analyst.
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And, also, finally, thanks to Daniel Cassino, my chief of staff, who's hiding in the side there somewhere.
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I'd like to turn it over to our legislative council to administer the oath to our witnesses of the administration.