Aumua Announces Vet I.D. Bill on its Way to White House
Washington, D.C. – Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, "It is important that we do all we can to ensure that our veterans are recognized for their service to our nation and this bill will make sure that they will always be able to provide proof of that service," stated Amata.
Proposed Mock-Up of the new Veteran ID Card
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved H.R. 91, the Veterans Identification Card Act 2015 this past week and the bill is now on its way to the President's desk to be signed into law. The legislation will help minimize the threat of identity theft and make it easier for veterans to prove their military service.
Currently, the only way for a veteran who did not serve for at least 20 years, or is not receiving health services from the VA, to legally prove that they served in the military is through their DD-214 form, which is issued to every service member upon their exit from the military.
While not only impractical to carry around, the DD-214 form also contains sensitive information such as the veteran's social security number that could put them at risk of identity theft. H.R. 91 will help alleviate this issue, by allowing any veteran to request an ID card from the VA. The ID card will be a recognized legal document that would provide proof of service in our nation's armed forces.
"As technology moves forward and the world becomes a smaller place because of it, we find ourselves becoming more vulnerable in terms of privacy and our identity. It is vital that we do all we can to protect the identities of our veterans, which is exactly what this legislation will do. No longer will our veterans be at risk of misplacing their DD-214 when applying for jobs, or seeing their Dr. Now they will simply be able to pull out their Veteran ID Card as proof of their service to our great nation," said Amata.
"During my travels to military bases in recent years, I had an opportunity to meet with numerous veterans who have settled with their families around various forts. In their meetings with me, one of the issues raised was the need for I.D. cards. Mission accomplished. Some of them also hoped that they could use the military I.D. as a form of identification to travel from the States back to American Samoa rather than a passport; given the expense and difficulty of getting a passport and that they rarely travel except back to the islands. While this I.D. cannot be used for travel purposes, it's a good first step and I plan to work on that issue at a later date," continued Aumua Amata. "As soon as the VA has advised me on when the veteran I.D. card will be ready for issue, I will be announcing a program through my office that will assist our local veterans in obtaining their cards," concluded Amata.
Auina atu Pili mo Pepa Fa'ailoa (I.D.) a Vetereni e Sainia e le Peresetene
Washington, D.C. – Friday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, I se saunoaga a le Faipule i le Konekeresi le afioga a Aumua Amata sa ia taua ai, "Ina ia fa'afaigofie mo nai o tatou fitafita sa i taua (vetereni) i so'o se taimi e tapa ai fa'amaoniga o a latou tautua i vaega'au a le malo, e taua tele le faia o mea uma ia mautinoa ai o lo'o aloaia la latou tautua i lo tatou malo."
Na fulisia le Maota o Sui a le Unaite Setete i le pasia o le Iugafono (H.R. 91), Tulafono mo Pepa Fa'ailoa a Vetereni 2015 i le vaiaso ua tuana'i ma ua tu'uina atu nei le pili e sinia e le Peresetene ma avea ai ma tulafono. O le a fesoasoani lenei tulafono e fa'aitiitia ai le lamatia o pepa fa'ailoa a fitafita tuai ma fa'afaigofie ai i nai o tatou vetereni ona fa'amaonia la latou tautua i vaega'au a le malo.
I le taimi nei, pau le auala mo se vetereni e le'i atoa se luasefulu (20) pe le'i maua se tautua tau le soifua maloloina mai le VA, e fa'amaonia fa'aletulafono sa latou tuatua i vaega'au o le pepa e taua o le DD-214, lea e tu'uina atu i so'o totino sa auai i vaega'au a le malo i le taimi e mae'a ai le tautua.
E ui ina e le talafeagai le feavea'i o le pepa lea (DD-214), a e o lo'o i ai fo'i ma fa'amatalaga taua e pei o le numera o le vafealoa'i a le vetereni e afaina ai pe a gaoia. O le a fesoasoani le Iugafono (H.R. 214) e foia ai le matatupu lenei, I le tu'uina atu o le avanoa I so'o se vetereni e talosaga ai mo se Pepa Fa'ailoa (I.D.) mai le VA. O le I.D. lea o le a aloia fa'aletulafono e fai ma fa'amaoniga o le tautua I vaega'au fa'afitafita a lo tatou malo.
Saunoa Amata, "A o aga'i i luma le malamalama fa'aonaponei i masini tau feso'otaiga (tekonolosi) ua felata'i le lalolagi, ma avea ma mea ua lamatia ai le puipuiga o tatou mai le su'esu'evale o le lalolagi. E taua tele lo tatou taumafai I le mea e gata mai ai e puipuia ai o tatou vetereni mai le isuisuvale fua o i latou e fia fa'aleaga I ai, ma o le agaga tonu lava lena o lenei tulafono. O le a lavea'iina ai o tatou vetereni pe a leiloa o latou DD-214 pe a talosaga mo ni a latou galuega, pe fia vaai fo'I se foma'i. O le a mafai ai nei e i latou ona fa'ailoa atu o latou ID o le Vetereni e faamaonia ai la latou tautua i le malo tele.
Sa ou maua le avanoa i a'u asiasiga i nofoaga o vaega'au fitafita I tausaga lata mai nei, e feiloa'i ai i le to'atele o fitafita tuai ua fa'amautu ai i nofoaga o le malo ma nai o latou aiga. Ma o se tasi lenei o mataupu sa fa'atula'i mai o le mana'omia lea o ni o latou pepa fa'ailoa (ID). O lea la ua taunu'u le fa'amoemoe. O le faamoemoe lea o nisi o i latou e faaaoga se ID militeri e Malaga mai ai mai Setete I Amerika Samoa a e le o ni tusifolau, ona o le taugata ma le faigata ona maua ni tusifolau, ma e seasea ona Malaga mai i aiga i Samoa. E ui ina e le mafai ona faaaoga lenei ID mo femalagaaiga, a o se ulua'I la'asaga taua e gaoioi ai i se aso o i luma."
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