Tag: veteran

Final Review: Hillary Clinton’s Comprehensive Platform

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Before the majority of Americans head to the polls on Tuesday, the campaign has heated up in the battle between Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Clinton has outlined a comprehensive platform while what has been offered by Trump little substance and foundation. Clinton’s platform is built on a career of public service and an understanding of domestic and foreign policies. While everyone may not agree with all of platform points, taken as a whole it is clear that she has put together a solid plan to more the country forward and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to live up to their full potential.

When Clinton has introduced a major platform topic, we add it to the Platform category of the website. Looking through Clinton’s speeches and policy proposals, a clear plan emerges. From Clinton’s kickoff rally in June 2015 to the announcement of her plan to combat bullying just a few weeks ago, a list of Clinton’s platform speech topics and announcement dates are below:

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Details: Hillary Clinton’s Comprehensive Presidential Platform

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Since launching her campaign in April 2015, Hillary Clinton has outlined a number of major platform points in a series of speeches. As we near the election, the campaign has heated up in the battle between Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. With a little over a month to go, it is important that Clinton continue to deliver substantive speeches and combat a Trump platform that offers no substance or foundation. Clinton’s platform is built on a career of public service and an understanding of domestic and foreign policies. While everyone may not agree with all of platform points, taken as a whole it is clear that she has put together a solid plan to more the country forward and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to live up to their full potential.

When Clinton has introduced a major platform topic, we add it to the Platform category of the website. Looking through Clinton’s speeches and policy proposals, a clear plan emerges. From Clinton’s kickoff rally in June 2015 to the announcement of her plans to protect the rights of disabled Americans earlier this month, a list of Clinton’s platform speech topics and announcement dates are below:

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Read: Hillary Clinton’s Comprehensive Platform

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Since launching her campaign in April 2015, Hillary Clinton has outlined a number of major platform points in a series of speeches. As we near the election, the campaign has heated up in the battle between Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. With a little over a month to go, it is important that Clinton continue to deliver substantive speeches and combat a Trump platform that offers no substance or foundation. Clinton’s platform is built on a career of public service and an understanding of domestic and foreign policies. While everyone may not agree with all of platform points, taken as a whole it is clear that she has put together a solid plan to more the country forward and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to live up to their full potential.

When Clinton has introduced a major platform topic, we add it to the Platform category of the website. Looking through Clinton’s speeches and policy proposals, a clear plan emerges. From Clinton’s kickoff rally in June 2015 to the announcement of her plans to protect the rights of disabled Americans earlier this month, a list of Clinton’s platform speech topics and announcement dates are below:

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Announces Plan to Boost Small Businesses

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On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton announced a plan she would introduce as president to boost small businesses. She introduced her plan in an article for LinkedIn followed by a teleconference with members of the press and several small business owners. Clinton warned of Donald Trump’s past business practices with small businesses arguing that a Trump presidency would not be good for small business owners. The comprehensive plan builds on her overall economic plan which would create millions of jobs by investing in infrastructure upgrades and clean energy. Small businesses play into her overall plan as they will provide American workers and products. An outline of the plan is below and the full plan is available on The Briefing.

  1. Make it easier to start a business and become profitable
    • Push states to make it faster and cheaper to start a business
    • Working with states to standardize licensing requirements
    • Making technical assistance and resources available to states
    • Provide incubators, mentoring, and training to 50,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners in underserved communities
  2. Make it easier to get financing and find investors
    • Streamline regulation and cut red tape for community banks and credit unions
    • Harness the potential of online lending platforms
    • Reduce the burden of student debt by allowing entrepreneurs to defer student loan payment
    • Promote the 100% tax exclusion on capital gains for long-term small business investments
    • Expand and streamline the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company program
    • Support new innovative ways to assess creditworthiness for small business owners
    • Expand access to credit in underserved communities
    • Give the SBA administrator the authority to continue providing 7(a) loan guarantees to small businesses
    • Expand access to working capital by expanding the SBA’s working capital guarantee programs
  3. Make it cheaper and faster to file taxes and pay for tax relief
    • Work to create a new standard deduction for small businesses
    • Allow 4 million small businesses with gross receipts under $1 million to take advantage of “checkbook accounting”
    • Allow small businesses to immediately expense up to $1 million in new investments
    • Quadruple the start-up tax deduction to significantly lower the cost of starting a business
  4. Make it easier to offer health care and other benefits to employees
    • Simplify and expand the healthcare tax credit
    • Allow more small businesses pool together to offer retirement plans
  5. Make it easier to work with the federal government
    • Work to completely revamp the digital experience for small businesses
    • Use the leverage of more than $400 billion in federal government contracting to encourage businesses to pay their suppliers in full and on time
    • Guarantee a 24-hour response time to small businesses with questions about federal regulations and access to capital programs
    • Ensure that Small Business Development Centers are placed in the highest-need communities with staff that speaks the language of local residents
    • Work to ensure that federal regulations aren’t unnecessarily holding small businesses and our economy back
    • Increase federal contracting opportunities for women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses
    • Defend and strengthen the Export-Import Bank
    • Encourage small business exports by expanding SBA funding for export development
  6. Make it easier to fight back when you’re getting stiffed

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: LinkedIn, The Briefing, Bloomberg, Forbes

Clinton Focuses on Voter Registration in Philadelphia

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In West Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton spoke at a rally where she urged everyone to vote in November. She spoke about a number of her proposals including creating millions of jobs, standing up to the gun lobby, repairing the country’s failing infrastructure, and regulating Wall Street to prevent a market crash. Clinton went after Donald Trump’s economic plan which experts say will greatly benefit top earners. Clinton called the proposal the “Trump loophole” because, by some estimates, he would earn nearly $4 billion. Clinton said that her plans focus on everyone, “I can find a much better use for those $4 billion. In fact, we could hire 95,000 public school teachers for $4 billion. We could actually double health care for our veterans for $4 billion dollars. And we can invest in more infrastructure, affordable housing and small business for $4 billion right here in Pennsylvania.” A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Philadelphia Magazine

Clinton, Kaine Campaign in Miami

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Hillary Clinton and her newly announced running mate, Senator Tim Kane, appeared at their first joint campaign rally since yesterday’s announcement. Speaking in Miami, Florida, the event served as an introduction of Kaine to her supporters and the American people. While Clinton introduced Kaine and praised his public service record, she wasted no time going after Republican Donald Trump and his running mate saying, “I have to say, Senator Tim Kaine is everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not.”

Kaine then took the stage and spoke about a number of topics including religion (he is Catholic while Clinton is Methodist), family, and the military. He spoke about how is son, a Marine, will soon be deployed, and he criticized Trump’s waffling support of America’s military veterans. Kaine followed Clinton’s lead in attacking Trump’s business record, his record in supporting the military, and his thin skin. He acknowledged that some people may not know who he is joking, “Now, I know for a lot of you, this might be the first time you’re hearing me speak. And hey, let me be honest, for many of you, this is the first time you’ve even heard my name.” He continued, “But that’s OK because I’m excited for us to get to know one another.” A video from the event is below.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Campaign Manager Robby Mook and State Representative Brian Sims held a fundraising event. The event was billed as a LGBT and Allies Convention Kick-Off in preparation of the DNC beginning on Monday.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Politico, The New York Times

Hillary Clinton Unveils Plan to Help Military Families

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On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton released her plan to assist military families. The plan unveiled today builds upon a previously introduced plan to build upon the Department of Veteran Affairs and ensure veterans receive proper support after they have left the military. The plan includes provision that will not only ensure that the members of our military are supported, but their spouses and children will as well. You can read the full details of the plan on The Briefing, and an outline of the plan is below:

  • Realign the Demands of a Military Career in Service to the Nation to Accommodate 21st Century Family Realities While Maintaining a Strong Force
  • Ensure that family leave policies meet the needs of our military families
  • Increase access to child care for all service members in the Active Duty and Reserve who need it
  • Let service members and their families take a knee
  • Create the ability to serve in different ways
  • Officially include life-cycle and family considerations in permanent moves
  • Back Military Spouses as they Pursue Education, Seek Jobs, Build Careers and Secure their Finances
  • Enhancing opportunities for military spouse employment and breaking down antiquated rules, such as onerous state credentialing, that lead to military spouse under-employment
  • Reforming the assignment process to better support dual-military couples
  • Standing side-by-side with families through transition out of the military
  • Enhance military families financial planning and protection
  • Creating flexibility around military moves
  • Ensure Military Children Receive a High-Quality Education and the Resources to Succeed
  • Keep Defense Department schools strong and focused
  • Elevate public schools with high number of military children
  • Preserve and protect the Post-9/11 GI Bill, making it a lasting part of the nation’s social contract for those who serve and their families
  • Enhance the Exceptional Family Member Experience
  • Bring Key Resources for Military Families in to the Information Age
  • Move resources into higher gear with on-line technology
  • Increase virtual access and information for families and surrounding communities
  • Champion efforts to care for our military members and families
  • Ensure continued focus on mental health for military members and families
  • Remain committed to extended leave policies
  • Continue to support Gold Star Families
  • Continue and Build on the Obama Administration’s Effort to Elevate Military Families in the White House and Across Government
  • Create a standing President’s Council on Service Members, Veterans, and Military Families
  • Establish “Joining Forces” as a permanent part of the Executive Office of the President
  • Direct senior White House and Department of Defense civilian and military leadership to conduct a series of town hall meetings to hear directly from service members and their families about their needs
  • Personally request and receive a thorough report and 12-month implementation plan on priority areas for improvement based on these town halls

Meanwhile, Clinton attended two fundraisers today. The first was in East Brunswick, New Jersey and included a conversation with Clinton and Senator Cory Booker. In New York City, Clinton attended an event at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. The event included a conversation with her, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and actress Julianna Margulies.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Briefing

Clinton Unveils Plans for VA

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets audience members following a veterans roundtable discussion with the Truman National Security Project at the VFW Hall in Derry, New Hampshire November 10, 2015. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets audience members following a veterans roundtable discussion with the Truman National Security Project at the VFW Hall in Derry, New Hampshire November 10, 2015. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

On Tuesday, Hillary Rodham Clinton attended a round table event with the Truman National Security Project in Derry, New Hampshire. During the event, Clinton outlined her plans to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a department that has been heavily scrutinized for its outdated practices and massive backlog. Clinton said, “These problems are serious, systemic and unacceptable. They need to be fixed and they need to be fixed now.” She made it clear that the VA and its processes would not be privatized, but modernized in a way that honors the commitment of the veterans it serves. Clinton then spoke to veterans in attendance and answered to their questions while listening to their concerns. A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

Clinton’s plan is complex and contains multiple facets. The Clinton campaign released a full outline of the plan, and key points are below. CLICK HERE to read the full plan.

  • Ensure that Veterans have access to timely and quality health care
  • Create a new framework for heath care delivery by the VHA
    • Refocus as a veteran-centric provider of service-connected care
    • Synchronize and coordinate VHA benefits with other programs
    • Strategically purchase private-sector care
    • Establish a VHA Strategic Oversight and Governance Board
  • Ensure better communication between the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA
    • Streamline the DoD-VA health care footprint
    • Synchronize procurement to find cost savings
    • Streamline VA and DoD IT Systems
  • Improve healthcare for women at the VHA
    • New funding to ensure women equal and respectful access to health services
    • Requiring the provision of reproductive services
    • Broadening initiatives to provide childcare at VA medical facilities
  • End the veteran suicide epidemic
    • Increase funding for metal health providers and training
    • Expand programs targeted at providing effective mental heath treatment
    • Promoter better prescriber and treatment practices
    • Ensure that Military Sexual Trauma is acknowledged as a valid form of PTS
    • Encourage state VA departments to include mental health programs
    • Provide proper legal assistance to review and upgrade other than honorable discharge categorizations for those separated from service due to service-connected mental health and cognitive issues, such as TBI, PTS, and addiction
  • Continue to identify and treat invisible, latent, and toxic wounds of war
    • Maintain presumptions of service for latent and invisible connected wounds from the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq war, and Afghanistan war
    • Expand the current VA burn pit registry
    • Dedication research funding and provide mechanisms for collaborative efforts to improve veteran treatments
  • End disability benefits and appeals backlog
    • Streamline and simplify the claims process
    • Improve the VA’s partnership with the DoD
    • Launch an Innovation Initiative to develop innovative solutions for sustainably managing the claims and appeals process
  • Bring sustained and focused White House leadership to attention
    • Create a standing President’s Council on Veterans
    • Conduct an end-to-end evaluation to optimize the full scope of benefits afforded to our veterans
    • Convene a White House Summit on Veterans
    • Continue to engage private and philanthropic sectors
  • Support and broaden initiatives that provide educational benefits, job training, and support for veteran entrepreneurs.
    • Make the post-9/11 GI Bill part of the nation’s social contract with those who serve
    • Expand tax credit for veterans’ employment
    • Improve concurrent certification and credentialing programs
    • Strengthen veteran entrepreneurship programs
    • Create pathways and platforms for service member to enter growing career fields
  • Protect veterans
    • Fight back against schools that prey on veterans and the GI Bill
    • Enforce zero tolerance for firms that overcharge service members and veterans
    • Strengthen non-discrimination laws
  • Move decisively to end veteran homelessness
    • Increase funding for reducing homelessness while expanding public-private partnerships
    • Expand complementary programs and services
    • Address the needs of homeless women veterans and homeless veteran families
  • Support Veterans Treatment Courts nationally
  • Recognize the honorable service of LGBT veterans
  • Create a culture of accountability, service, and excellence
    • Hold every employee accountable for their performance and conduct
    • Revamp the performance evaluation system
    • Bolster critical whistleblower protections
  • Provide budgetary certainty
  • Ensure our veterans are buried with the honor, distinction, and integrity they deserve
  • Support smart compensation and benefits reform
    • Ensure reforms to military compensation and retirement benefits improve readiness for quality of life
    • Modernize the military health system
  • Adopting modern and inclusive personnel policies
    • Attracting millennials to military service
    • Zero-tolerance for Military Sexual Assault and Harassment
    • Welcoming women to compete for all military positions
    • Supporting the DoD policy review on transgender service
  • Promote family policies
    • Increase access to child care
    • Create flexibility around military moves
    • Expand military spouse employment initiatives
  • Champion efforts to care for our military members and families
    • Ensure continued focus on mental health for military members and their families
    • Remain committed to extended leave policies
    • Continue to support Gold Star Families

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Wall Street Journal, The Briefing