During the second session of the 116th Congress, NOVA continued supporting legislation and policy to strengthen VA healthcare and services for Veterans. 

Advocacy by the numbers:

Congressional Statements and Letters – 10

Testimony (House/Senate VA Committees’) - 3

HVAC - Assessing VA’s Response to the Pandemic, June 2020

HVAC - Mental Health Priorities, September 2020

SVAC - S. 785, The John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, April 2020

Partnerships Policy Letters (NCC and VA professional organizations) – 25

Hill Meetings – 100+

*Annual Hill Day Attendees – 30

VSO Conference Calls and Collaboration – 25

NOVA Articles published in National Publications – 3

Federal Practitioner – NOVA Priority Goals (February 2020)

How VA Nurses are Coping with the Pandemic (October 2020)

Veterans Affairs and Military Medicine Outlook – VA Nurses: Stories from the Frontline of the Pandemic (May 2020)

We remained committed to meeting with the VA Office of Nursing Services by participating in monthly discussions with their staff. 

Our continued membership in the Nursing Community Coalition allows us to collaborate/partner on many nursing issues outside the VA space, but important to nursing practice and policies.

We also conducted three COVID-19/coronavirus surveys during the months of March/April, May/June, August/September – results can be found here:

https://www.vanurse.org/page/COVID19RESOURCECENTER

A Get Out the Vote Campaign to get everyone educated and activated ahead of November Elections was posted on all sites September - November.

*Our 2020 Legislative Roundtable and Hill Day (March 2020) was the best ever- with over 50 attendees at the Roundtable and over 30 members coming in for Hill Day. We were honored to listen to opening remarks by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, RN and Member of the House VA Committee and host Suzanne Miyamoto from the American Academy of Nursing. NOVA Attendees visited more than 50 congressional offices.

Thanks to the NOVA Board and Legislative Committee, and all our active NOVA Members for a successful year!