Veteran and Military Affairs

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton, passed the Veterans' Families First bill on the House floor Tuesday afternoon. House Bill 3747 offers veterans in need of long-term care that are located more than 100 miles from a state veteran's center the option to contract and stay in a local nursing home. "With the closure of the Talihina Veterans Center in my House district, this displaced several veterans moving them far from their family members," Grego said. "I wanted to ensure they had the option to remain closer to home and those they love. It's important that our veterans receive family support and that we not ask family members to drive long distances to visit their loved ones. "This should help other veterans throughout our state as well should they be faced with similar circumstances." Grego said he worked with the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs on the measure. It would require the Oklahoma Veterans Commission to contract with private long-term, skilling nursing facilities to offer services to eligible veterans who live over 100 miles from a state veteran's residence. The bill passed the House on a vote of 84-10 and now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain. 

The Oklahoma House of Representatives Veterans Caucus elected Army veteran Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, as the new House chair for the next legislative session. Members also elected Rep. Collin Duel, R-Guthrie, as the House vice chair. "It's a privilege to support the men and women in our state Legislature who have bravely served in our nation's defense and to represent the needs of our fellow veterans in Oklahoma," Burns said. "I want to thank Representative Steagall for his leadership for the past five years. As the newly elected Chair of the Oklahoma House Veterans Caucus, I am committed to promoting policies recognizing our veterans' and their families' sacrifices. Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met." "I am honored that my colleagues have placed their trust and confidence in me by electing me as the Vice Chair of the Oklahoma House Veterans Caucus," said Duel, who is an Army Ranger. "It is not only our duty but also a privilege to support our veterans, and I hold this responsibility in the highest regard. Through this caucus, we can better serve the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our state and nation." Current Chair Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, who served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and the Oklahoma Air National Guard, has been chair of the caucus since 2019 and offered his congratulations to Reps. Burns and Duel. "It has been an honor to serve my fellow legislative veterans in this capacity for the last five years," Steagall said. "Together, we've led the charge to effect several statutory changes that benefit our state's veterans and their families. The work of this caucus is far from over, and I'm certain that with the leadership of Representatives Burns and Duel, this caucus will continue to fight for our veterans to ensure that those who wore the uniform and fought for our freedoms and way of life receive the benefits and care they have earned and deserve." The Veterans Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral caucus consisting of over 20 veterans in the state legislature.

Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, was honored as the Representative of the Year by the Oklahoma Veterans Council during a joint legislative session of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate. She is the first woman to receive the Representative of the Year award. May 3 was Veterans Awareness Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol, a chance for veterans to visit with their state legislators and discuss legislation related to veterans issues. "I was immensely humbled and honored to be named the Oklahoma Veterans Council's Representative of the Year," Miller said. "I've worked on military and veterans issues throughout the entirety of my career and been a military spouse during my husband's 20 years of service in the Air Force. Both personally and professionally, I've seen firsthand the brave sacrifices of our veterans and the selflessness of military families. I am grateful for this recognition and will continue to honor the legacy of all veterans by serving House District 82 and Oklahoma to the best of my abilities." Miller was elected to the House in 2018 and currently serves as chair of the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on Transportation. She is also as an Assistant Majority Whip. While serving in the House, Miller has worked on multiple pieces of legislation related to student veterans and military families. She is a member of the Oklahoma State Council for Educational Opportunity for Military Children, a position she was appointed to in 2021. Prior to being elected, she worked for the Oklahoma National Guard and the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.