House considers making veterans committee

The House will soon consider a bill creating a committee responsible for studying military and veterans issues across New Mexico.

Senate Bill 529 unanimously passed the Senate Monday.

The bill would create a joint interim legislative Military and Veterans Affairs Committee to conduct hearings around the state on military and veterans' issues. The committee would submit an annual report to the legislature before each session with recommendations based on its findings.

The committee’s findings would also be reported to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense, according to a press release from Sen. David Ulibarri, who sponsored the bill.

New Mexico has a veteran population of almost 200,000. Veterans' issues and concerns include education, long term health care, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment programs and housing.

On the web: http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/BillFinderNumber.aspx