Assemblyman calls on legislature to override veto
Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook – 21st A.D.) today called out Gov. Cuomo for vetoing a veterans benefit bill (A.8174-A/S.5937) that would provide military veterans enrolled in the public retirement system the option to buy back pension credits. Curran said Assembly Democrats’ previous versions of this legislation were vetoed by Gov. Cuomo before Veterans Day last year because they lacked a method of paying for the program; this year’s bill included a payment mechanism but was still vetoed.
“I am truly shocked. This governor has advocated providing college tuition to felons and illegal aliens while not allowing our veterans, who have prepared to fight for us, our country and freedoms, the benefits that they deserve and have earned; he should seriously re-evaluate his priorities,” said Curran, who helped sponsor the legislation and who has been an advocate for veterans since before being elected to the assembly. “With a nearly $150 billion state budget and with the advocacy of continued funding for welfare support from the New York City politicians, New York State has truly fallen to a new low. I am calling on the legislature, specifically our legislative leaders, to rally support and override the governor’s veto.”
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In a November 2014 press release, Curran condemned the governor’s action and called on the legislature to override his veto, which was ignored. After going back to the drawing board, Curran then called on Assembly Democrats to pass the newly-revised veterans benefit bill, which ended up passing on June 25, 2015.
Currently, the New York State Military Service Credit Law only permits active public employees who served in the military during certain periods, in some selected countries, or who received some selected medals, to purchase up to three years of credit for their military service. Assembly Bill 8174-A would have extended the credit to all honorably-discharged veterans.
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Curran said this year’s veto message said the same thing as 2014, that it includes “no viable funding source to pay for them [veterans’ benefits bills] this year or in future years.”
“This is shameful and embarrassing. We should be providing our military men and women with every tool that we can for them serving our nation, regardless of when they served. We must do more to give our veterans the benefits they have rightfully earned, and this is a terrible start,” concluded Curran.
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