Local Veterans are expressing their disappointment after seeing their push for House Bill 2540 -- done in part to honor the memory of Laredo's Lance Cpl. David Lee Espinoza -- fall short on Thursday.
House Bill 2540 was written by Rep. Richard Raymond and aimed to award G.I. Bill rights to other members of a military member's family if they died while single and with no kids. Rep. John Kuempel's Chief of Staff informed the Veterans during a conference call that the bill would not be able to make the deadline for being heard this session, and they now must wait two years before trying again.
“It's like emotions are coming back again, the emotions of disappointment,” Veterans of Foreign Wars 9194 Post Adjutant Ricardo Quijano told Madden. “We are trying to do something here for Veterans and the future of Veterans, and it is very disappointing that the chairman of the higher education committee did not put this on the agenda when I left messages and I called them multiple times, and that is when I started researching of who is the chairman and that’s when I started contacting them.”
Quijano brought the idea for House Bill 2540 to his supervisor at the Webb County Veterans Affairs Office after meeting with Espinoza's siblings. He was one of several Veterans providing insight to Raymond as he worked to expand benefits under the Hazlewood Act. Quijano said he was especially frustrated because the bill was filed back on Feb. 13.
Espinoza’s mother, Elizabeth Holguin, was also involved in the call and said she was saddened the bill would not be heard. She showed a certificate explaining how he was assured $97,596.17 in GI Bill funds upon his recruitment, and she questioned what happens to that money now.
“Where does this money go? This was what he was supposed to receive,” Holguin said. “I understand that he was the one enlisted, but we all paid the ultimate sacrifice as his family, and I would really like to know where is this money going since it was already assigned to it.”
Holguin thanked Quijano and the other Veterans for their continued support.
VFW Post 9194 Junior Vice Commander Maxine Riveles said she was frustrated and emotional from the news.
“I think we brought it up with enough time, and obviously the response that we are getting wasn’t what I was expecting,” she said. “Some Veterans may sign up for love for their country, and some people may sign up because there are benefits and are like, 'let me do this.' Regardless whether you did it for love for your country, you knew when you signed up knowing that you had all these benefits, and then you are gone and everything ends.”
VFW Post 9194 Commander Gilberto Gonzalez told Holguin and Madden that they will continue working to make sure the bill has a better chance next time.
Raymond told LMT that support was there for the bill but that more is needed for it to be chosen.
“We have passed and are passing several bills that help or benefit Veterans,” he said. “This bill, if it passed, would help siblings of Veterans. Obviously I support it and many legislators support it, but right now not enough of them support it.”
Madden said the Veterans can use the intermittent time between sessions to network with state representatives, members of the higher education committee or even a state senator who is willing to co-sponsor the bill. She also suggested having the writer of the bill meet with the committee chairman. Madden thanked Holguin for her family's sacrifice and said she'd update Kuemple on what was discussed during the call.
Quijano said he will speak with Raymond and Rep. Tracy O. King about the bill in order to get support for the next session. He also wants to request a meeting with State Sen. Judith Zaffirini to ask her to support the bill as well.
“In July, Veterans of Foreign Wars members are going to Austin for an officer training seminar which all officers and members in the state of Texas go, and we are going to voice what was said in this meeting,” Quijano said. “We are going to contact the Seguin VFW to explain HB 2540 and the meeting we just had. It was so cold that way it was said, that the chairman chooses what bills go before the committee. That is what angered us all. It is a shame what State Representative John Kuempel from District 44 did to the siblings of those who sacrificed all. That’s what this bill was.”
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