This resolution recognizes the heroic military service of Black veterans, the systemic challenges they faced upon returning home, and their crucial role in advancing civil rights.
Lisa Blunt Rochester
Senator
DE
This concurrent resolution recognizes the heroic military sacrifices and patriotism of Black veterans throughout U.S. history. It acknowledges the significant challenges and discrimination they faced both during and after their service. The resolution connects their fight for equality abroad to their crucial role in advancing the Civil Rights Movement at home. Finally, Congress affirms the ongoing need to address current health and benefit disparities affecting Black veterans.
Concurrent Resolution Honors Black Veterans' Sacrifices, Urges VA to Close Health and Benefit Gaps
This Concurrent Resolution is a formal acknowledgment from Congress of the immense, often-unrecognized contributions of Black veterans throughout American history, from the Revolutionary War right up to recent conflicts. It doesn't create new laws or spending, but it lays out the sense of Congress—a powerful statement of historical fact and a non-binding directive to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to step up its game on equity.
The resolution details the heroic service of Black Americans in every major conflict, spotlighting figures and units like the Tuskegee Airmen, the 369th Infantry (the Harlem Hell-fighters), and the 6888th postal battalion, the first all-Black women’s unit. But here’s the crucial part: it doesn't stop at the parades. It spends significant time detailing the systemic discrimination these veterans faced, both while wearing the uniform and immediately upon returning home.
The Historical Reality Check
The text makes it clear that for many Black veterans, military service was not a ticket to equality, but a painful paradox. Think about Jackie Robinson, court-martialed for refusing to sit in the back of a bus while in the Army. Or the fathers of the plaintiffs in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, who were World War II veterans. The resolution directly links the fight for civil rights, including the work of the NAACP and the desegregation of interstate travel, to the resolve and experiences of these veterans who fought for democracy abroad only to be denied it at home.
This isn't just a history lesson; it's a recognition that service often came with a double burden: fighting the enemy overseas while also fighting prejudice at home. For any veteran, regardless of background, coming home and dealing with life after service is tough. For Black veterans, the resolution confirms that this transition was complicated by institutional racism that denied them the full benefits and respect they earned.
The Call for Current Equity
The resolution doesn't leave this in the past. It explicitly notes that Black veterans continue to suffer disproportionately from chronic illnesses, homelessness, and health disparities today. This is the part that hits close to home for anyone relying on the VA system. If you’re a veteran, you know that access to timely, quality healthcare and benefits can be a struggle. This resolution is essentially Congress stating, “We see the data, and it shows that our Black veterans are still getting the short end of the stick.”
Because of this ongoing disparity, the resolution concludes with a direct call for the VA to “continue working to eliminate any health and benefit disparities for minority veterans.” While this is a non-binding resolution—meaning it doesn't mandate new funding or force a policy change—it puts official Congressional pressure on the VA to prioritize equity. For the busy veteran advocate or the veteran struggling to get their disability claim approved, this resolution provides a high-level political tool to push the agency toward better outcomes. It validates the need for continued vigilance and concrete changes within the VA to ensure that the sacrifices of all veterans are honored with equal treatment.