Veterans
Senator Brown has served as a member of the Massachusetts National Guard for the past 28 years, and is currently a Lt. Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He realizes the importance and sacrifice of all veterans in the Commonwealth. He has co-sponsored many bills to support veterans or their families. Sen. Brown is the ranking Republican on the Veterans & Federal Affairs Committee and has become known during his time in the Legislature as a vigorous supporter of veterans causes. Sen. Brown was instrumental in the passage of the "Welcome Home Bill," as well as supplemental legislation pertaining to veterans educational benefits. Brown also serves as a member on the Governor’s special task force on veteran issues.
► Increasing Veteran Benefits- Senator Brown co-sponsored over a dozen bills to increase veterans’ benefits and was a major supporter of the "Welcome Home" and "Welcome Home II Bills", which Governor Romney signed on Veterans Day in 2006. The bill included measures to provide additional benefits for families of those killed in action and for servicemen and women who have just returned from active duty.
► Keeping Track of Our New Veterans – Senator Brown wrote the landmark law that creates a check-off on all Massachusetts income tax forms for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom to indicate their participation in the Welcome Home benefits provisions. Once information is collected by the Department of Revenue, it will be provided to the Department of Veterans Services to track veterans in order to ensue they have been awarded all benefits they have earned. Sen. Brown is determined to see that no deserving veteran falls through the cracks of bureaucracy.
► Recognizing Modern Veterans- Senator Brown filed legislation to direct the Registry of Motor Vehicles to create and distribute veteran decals to those who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq. This bill received over 50 co-sponsors and seeks to recognize those military personnel who have served our country.
► Protecting Veterans from Discrimination - There are many difficulties that service members face when they are deployed. Senator Brown co-sponsored two bills that would ease these difficulties. One measure prohibits any employment discrimination against service members/veterans who may be deployed or face stigma from their service. Sen. Brown also fought to get a law passed to allow members of the National Guard that are performing their duty under Federal Codes to receive their pay, medical care, retirement and other benefits from the Federal Government. Until recently, even those members called up by the Federal Government would receive their benefits through the state, and in some cases the benefits differed from benefits available to full time members.
► Keeping Veterans Informed – Senator Brown is committed to keeping all MA veterans and their families informed about their rights and benefits that have been granted to those that have served this country In that effort, e-mail Sen. Brown at Scott.P.Brown@state.ma.ua if you would like to receive a copy of the Massachusetts Veterans Benefits Handbook.