Washington, DC – Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Women Veterans Task Force, continued her efforts to identify and address the challenges facing women veterans by hosting a roundtable with the California Women Veterans Leadership Council and women veterans from throughout Ventura County. The group discussed its priorities for improving policy and changing culture within VA to better serve women veterans.
“California is home to one of the largest populations of women veterans in the country and hearing the perspective of these women is indispensable,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Their concerns and recommendations regarding sexual harassment at VA, proper staffing of women’s healthcare programs and services, improving equity in access to resources for reservists and guard members, and other issues will be critical in informing the work of the Task Force to improve services for women veterans. Women veterans are often a visible minority in service, and an invisible minority after. I am proud to have met with these women veterans that are working to change that disparity.”
“It was our honor to meet with the Congresswoman to hear how diligently she is working to create legislation that is long overdue. All women who have served should seek services from the VA to ensure we get the support that we have been waiting for. The CWVLC consists of women who have served and volunteer once again to continue to serve to make the lives of future generations of women leaving the military better,” said Kristine Stanley, Chair of the California Women Veterans Leadership Council.
“These are the conversations every state should be having with their Women Veteran Leadership. If you haven’t, please begin before the fiscal year ends! Women veterans are not only able to share the needs of women veterans; we are able to share the needs of women entering the services with best-practice solutions in order to best care for the many women warriors that have served this great nation,” said Olivia Chavez-Carroll, United States Marine Corps and U.S. Army veteran.
View photos from the roundtable, here.
Issues: 116th Congress, Veterans' Affairs, Women Veterans Task Force