More than 200 people crowded into American Legion Post 14 in Smyrna earlier this week to witness Gov. Matt Meyer sign into law a measure establishing a new Department of Veterans Affairs that will be led by a cabinet-level secretary.
State Rep. Jeff Hilovsky (R-Oak Orchard, Long Neck), a U.S. Air Force veteran, joined State Rep. Bill Carson (D-Smyrna) as a sponsor of the bill, which unanimously passed the General Assembly.
Proponents of the bipartisan measure maintain it will result in veterans receiving dedicated, focused leadership and advocacy at the highest levels of government.
“A cabinet-level position will streamline efforts to improve the services and programs available to veterans, ensuring they receive the care and resources they deserve after serving their country,” Rep. Hilovsky said.
Army veteran, State Rep. Danny Short (R-Seaford), also supported the bill as a lead sponsor. “The main issue is that veterans in Delaware have not consistently had a top executive branch official representing them,” he said, adding that the new secretary will provide both a focal point for veterans’ concerns and enough authority and influence to resolve them.
The new department will serve more than 70,000 veterans across the First State, bringing together services that are currently scattered across multiple agencies. The department will be phased into existence, with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with other executive branch officials, developing a transition plan to operate as a separate entity by July 1, 2030.
Initially, the bill would cost less than $100,000 annually to implement. Supporters claim that Delaware is currently not receiving all the federal veterans’ funding it is due and that the state’s investment in the agency will be more than offset by its ability to secure those delinquent dollars.
Among the House Republicans at Wednesday’s ceremony were State Reps. Jeff Hilovsky, Jeff Spiegelman, Danny Short, and Lyndon Yearick.
