California State Council holds First Annual Lobby Day

            On March 25 2010, the Vietnam Veterans of America’s (VVA) California State Council (CSC) is holding its first-ever Annual Lobby Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is in conjunction with the March 30 Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day (WHVVD) signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 29, 2009 at Twenty-nine Palms Marine Corps Base.

            There are numerous events happening the week before the actual date and Lobby Day in Sacramento is one of those events. CSC lobbyists Pete Conaty and Dana Nichol will open the event at 9 a.m. right after the 8 a.m. breakfast in the State Capitol Basement Cafeteria Far West Room for all registered VVA and Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA).

            At 9:30 there will be a presentation of Joint Members Resolutions for the WHVVD on the assembly floor of the California Senate. At 10 a.m., the California Assembly will present their Joint Members Resolutions. The presentations will be made to Jose Ramos who was the driving force behind WHVVD.

            All Vietnam veterans are invited to attend the presentation of the governor’s WHVVD proclamation. Roger Brautigan, secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs will assist along with actor Jon Voight.

            During lunch, Senator Jeff Denham will speak.

            After lunch at 1 p.m., the VVA California State Council will make the presentation of their Legislator of the Year awards to Senator Darrell Steinberg and Assemblyman Paul Cook who is the author of the WHVVD bill.

            Following the presentation, Brautigan and Ted Puntillo, deputy secretary of Veterans Services will talk about the role and mission of California’s Department of Veterans Affairs. From 2:30 to 4 p.m., key legislators and staff members will visit with the veterans and they will be able to visit the Legislative offices. Assembly Speaker John Perez,  Jeff Denham, Assembly member Mary Salas, Assembly member Chuck DeVore, Assembly member Danny Gilmore, Chief Consultant Donald Wilson, and Chief Consultant Eric Worthen . All the Assembly members are also on the Committee on Veterans Affairs.

            For information and registration forms, contact Ken Holybee at (707) 887-8891 or Mary Grundman at (916) 747-5994. You can also contact Holybee by email at Holybee@Comcast.net.