The Veterans Affairs Community Care Program (VCCP) provides health care for veterans in need outside of VA facilities. A recent report exposed flaws in the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) ability to identify and exclude providers from the VCCP that have failed...
News
Latest News
ICYMI: Rubio to WSJ: America’s Border Comes Before Ukraine’s
Sen. Rubio Responds on Military Aid to Ukraine U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) April 28, 2024 Wall Street Journal …Nearly nine million people have entered this country illegally since Joe Biden became president. For some Americans…, this is cause for celebration. But...
Photos: Rubio Meets with Families of Hostages Held by Hamas Terrorists
U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) traveled to Tel Aviv on an official visit following Iran’s unjustified attack against Israel and met with families of the hostages detained by Hamas terrorists for 205 days. “I met with the...
ICYMI: Rubio Joins I24 News
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined i24News in Israel to discuss his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Iran’s role in the present conflict, the growing antisemitic movement in the U.S., and more. See below for highlights and watch the full interview on YouTube...
Next Week: Rubio Staff Hosts Mobile Office Hours
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of Senator Rubio’s...
Photos: Rubio Meets With Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) met today with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss the security situation in Israel and expressed his strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself. Want more...
Rubio, Warner, Cornyn Request Action to Secure Retirement Benefits for Air America Employees
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mark Warner (D-VA), and John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter to Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, requesting that the Committee favorably report the Air America Act of 2021 (S. 407) to the full Senate as soon as possible. Senators Rubio and Warner reintroduced the legislation on February 24, 2021.
Air America, a government-owned corporation, employed several hundred U.S. citizens, mainly flight crew members, until 1976. During its existence, approximately 286 Air Americans were killed in the line of duty while conducting covert operations in designated war zones. In 1975, the last helicopter mission that rescued personnel from the rooftops in Saigon was planned and executed by Air America and the United States Marine Corps. This legislation would ensure that these individuals receive the benefits they are owed under the Civil Service Retirement System.
“The fight to ensure Air America employees receive the benefits they have earned is not a partisan issue, nor is it a new issue,” wrote the Senators. “It is time for Congress to act.”
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Chairman Peters and Ranking Member Portman:
We respectfully request that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs consider and report S. 407, the Air America Act of 2021, to the full Senate as soon as possible.
The bill, which was first introduced last Congress, would ensure the brave employees of Air America receive the retirement benefits they have earned. As you may be aware, Air America was a government-owned corporation that conducted covert operations during the Cold War, Korean War, and Vietnam War and operated under the direct policy control of the White House, Department of Defense, and the Department of State while under the management of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The fight to ensure Air America employees receive the benefits they have earned is not a partisan issue, nor is it a new issue. Legislation to provide benefits to Air America employees was first introduced by then Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in 2005. The bill currently has 29 bipartisan cosponsors, including five members of your committee from both sides of the aisle. Over the last 16 years, the Office of Personnel Management, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the CIA and the Director of National Intelligence have all concluded that Congressional action is required. It is time for Congress to act.
For these reasons, we respectfully urge you to consider and report to the full Senate this important bill as soon as possible.
Sincerely,