Monday, June 22, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Veterans
The Committee on Veterans, chaired by Council Member Frank Morano, held an oversight hearing on programs and services for LGBTQ+ veterans, coinciding with Pride Month, and heard two bills: Intro 914 (sponsored by the chair, carried over from former Chair Robert Holden, requiring a study and pilot program on reconsolidation of traumatic memories therapy for veterans) and Intro 928 (sponsored by Minority Leader David Carr, establishing an LGBTQ+ liaison within the Department of Veterans Services). Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services testified that the agency supports Intro 928's goals, already has two designated LGBTQ+ liaisons, and is exploring a certificate of eligibility for LGBTQ+ veterans, while noting the pilot program in Intro 914 would not be operationally feasible for the agency, suggesting Health + Hospitals collaboration. Council members questioned the department on data collection gaps, discharge upgrade caseloads, outreach effectiveness, and health care coordination. Five members of the public testified, including SAGE, the New York Health Foundation, and veteran advocates, with mixed views: support for Intro 928 but criticism of Intro 914's evidence base and of codifying liaisons. No votes were taken during the meeting.
0:20 Was saying basically, yeah.
0:20 Good morning and welcome t
0:39 otoday's New York City Council
0:41 hearing from.
0:41 The committee on veteran
0:43 affairs at this time I'd like
0:44 to remind everyone to police
0:46 on their electronic devices
0:47 and no points to anyone t
0:48 oapproach the dais. If you
0:49 would like to sign up for
0:50 public testimony and have not
0:51 done so already feel free to
0:53 sign a slip locate outside I
0:54 nthe hallway with the sergeant
0:55 arms chair. We're ready t
1:01 obegin. Good morning. I am
1:03 councilman Frank moreno. I
1:04 have the pleasure and honor of
1:06 sharing the veterans committee
1:08 of the New York City Council.
1:09 I want to thank everybody
1:11 who's joining us here in
1:12 person. I want to thank
1:13 everybody who is watching the
1:15 azuma wanted to thank
1:16 everybody that's watching on
1:17 cable television when there's
1:19 nothing else on, but I really
1:21 want to thank everybody for
1:23 tuning in, however, they're
1:26 tuning in for such an
1:27 important topic and today our
1:30 oversight hearing is on
1:32 programs and services for lgb
1:34 tq plus veterans. Um, when I
1:39 first took over this committee
1:41 . I mentioned that to me
1:43 veterans issues were the one
1:46 issue that should be an
1:48 ideally would be totally non
1:51 conservatives love talking
1:52 about veterans issues because
1:54 it deals with patriotism
1:55 ,defending the country, all
1:56 sorts of thing thast
1:58 traditionally conservatives
1:59 are all about a lot of
2:02 progressives love focusing on
2:03 veterans issues because it
2:04 gives them an opportunity t
2:06 otalk about health care and
2:08 housing and all sorts of
2:09 things that progressives are
2:12 all about on a regular basis
2:14 and to me. The thing that I
2:16 loved most about this
2:17 committee is we have members
2:20 on both sides of the political
2:21 spectrum, and we are all
2:22 rowing in the same direction
2:25 to deliver for New yorkers and
2:26 especially for the veterans
2:28 that have served us nowhere
2:31 where that more noticeable
2:33 than in terms of the issues
2:36 that are uniquely facing lgbt
2:39 plus veterans as our committee
2:42 has research and as we get
2:45 into, uh, lgbt veterans have a
2:47 higher instance of ptsd. Lgbt
2:51 veterans have higher incidents
2:53 of being victimized by sexual
2:55 assault and a number of other
2:58 things that even after the
2:59 ending of don't ask, don't
3:02 tell, continue to permeate
3:03 throughout the veterans
3:05 community and this committee,
3:07 which has some very dedicated
3:08 council members on it is not
3:10 going to just sit by and
3:12 accept that as the New status
3:14 quo. So what? I'm hoping we
3:15 can get out in today's hearing
3:17 is a playbook is a playbook
3:19 for or legislative action a
3:23 playbook for the awareness in
3:25 a way that we can fix what is
3:28 a very real problem. I do want
3:31 to mention two things that are
3:33 particularly important given
3:34 the circumstances and given
3:36 our history is a I want to
3:38 give a big congratulations to
3:40 retired sergeant first class
3:43 dominick pepe from woodhaven
3:45 for his induction into the New
3:47 York state veterans hall of
3:49 fame. Uh, not long ago. I did
3:50 not even know there was a New
3:52 York state veterans hall of
3:53 fame and, uh, to me, dominick
3:56 pepe is exactly the type of
3:58 person that this hearing is
3:59 focused on today and I'm glad
4:01 to see that he's been
4:02 recognized on a statewide
4:05 basis. I also want to take a
4:05 moment to speak about the
4:07 legacy of a staten islander
4:08 who lives in my district and
4:10 there's a street name for him.
4:13 Six minutes from my office and
4:14 10 minutes from where I grew
4:15 up and that is James jimmy
4:18 zappa, lordy gay vietnam war
4:21 veteran who was murdered
4:22 because of his sexual
4:25 orientation. His murder was
4:27 the first officially
4:28 designated hate crime in the
4:29 borough of staten island and
4:32 his plight inspired activism
4:33 that led to the passage of the
4:34 New York state hate crimes act
4:36 of the year 2000, which was
4:39 signed by governor pataki,
4:41 which allowed harsher
4:42 penalties for crimes motivated
4:44 by bias against race, religio
4:46 n, sexual orientation, et
4:48 cetera
4:49 , and za pilar eddie's murder
4:50 did more than just cause grief
4:52 his legacy united communities.
4:55 It sparked a level of activism
4:58 that really hadn't been seen
5:00 before, certainly in the
5:02 staten island south shore
5:03 community, certainly in the
5:05 lgbt community and certainly
5:06 in the military veteran
5:08 community. There was these
5:10 apollo lardy society, which
5:11 was founded in 19 92 and the
5:14 pride center of staten island,
5:15 which was founded in 2013 an
5:18 dall about providing lasting
5:20 support and services to staten
5:22 islands lgbtq plus.
5:25 Community. Uh, let say a
5:26 word or two in an observation
5:28 or two about our lgbt q plus
5:32 veterans between 19 80 in 19
5:37 93 over 19000 lgbt plus
5:40 service members were
5:41 discharged, many with other
5:43 than honorable statuses and
5:45 under don't ask, don't tell
5:47 more than 13000 were denied
5:51 benefits recognition and
5:51 dignity, and you think about
5:53 that, these people are just in
5:55 need of thee bail. These
5:58 people are just in as much in
5:59 need of health care of housing
6:02 and to think that they were
6:04 denied anything that should be
6:06 rightly given to a veteran who
6:08 has risked their lives in the
6:09 service of our country. It's
6:12 abomablein, and these policies
6:15 force veterans to lose healt
6:16 hcare, education and retirement
6:18 benefits while at the same
6:21 time enduring discrimination,
6:23 harassment and trauma in
6:24 service to their country
6:26 . Even today in persist with
6:28 about a thousand transgender
6:29 service members discharged
6:33 after the 20 25 ban on their
6:34 service 20 25 as a result of
6:37 sviolence against lgbt plus
6:45 indidualvis lgbt plus veterans
6:46 face higher rates of mental
6:48 health challenges suicide,
6:50 ptsd and chronic illness there
6:55 also significantly more likely
6:55 to experience military sexual
6:57 trauma and assault further
6:59 ,compounding a lot of these
7:00 health issues at.
7:01 The same time we have a real
7:05 problem with data. There are
7:08 major gaps in the data nearly
7:12 89%, a va records lack gender
7:15 identity, information making
7:17 lgbtq plus veterans largely
7:20 invisible in official counts.
7:22 National estimate suggests
7:22 there are around one minute
7:26 ylgbt plus veterans while in
7:27 New York state. There be
7:29 around 70000, most of them
7:31 believed to be concentrated in
7:32 New York City, although as I
7:34 indicated because of the lack
7:35 of data we don't know exactly
7:38 for sure together.
7:39 These realities underscore
7:40 the importance of ensuring
7:42 lgbt plus veterans are see
7:45 nrecognized for their service
7:46 to the country supported and
7:48 connected to comprehensive
7:50 ,affirming health care and
7:50 services that they've earne
7:54 din addition to our oversight
7:54 topic today. We're going to be
7:57 hearing two very important
7:59 pieces of legislation. We're
8:00 going to be hearing intro
8:03 number 9 1 4, which is
8:07 sponsored by me, uh, which is
8:08 a great bill as you might
8:10 expect, which would require a
8:13 study and recommendations o
8:14 nthe feasibility and
8:16 implementing a pilot program
8:19 to provide reconsolidation of
8:20 traumatic memories therapy for
8:22 veterans, let me say a word on
8:24 this bill unlike any other
8:26 bill that I've introduced this
8:29 didn't come from an idea that
8:31 I had within a constituent
8:32 brought to me or that I
8:34 researched this bill was
8:36 introduced by the prior chair
8:38 of the veterans committee, bob
8:39 holden. And even though it had
8:41 been passed by the veterans
8:42 committee in the last City
8:44 council it never got to be
8:45 voted on by the council as a
8:47 whole. So, um what? I'm hoping
8:49 to get at today is exactly
8:52 what this particular type of
8:54 therapy would do. I know it's
8:56 been controversial in some
8:58 quarters and what New York
8:59 City could do to explore this
9:01 as a viable therapy for
9:03 dealing with ptsd if this bill
9:06 needs to be amended to better
9:08 reflect the realities of how
9:09 New York City would handle
9:10 this. I'm all about amending
9:12 it, even though this is my
9:13 bell. This is not a bill that
9:16 I have necessarily a rooting
9:18 interest seeing in its current
9:19 form I am all about changing
9:22 it, uh, or adapting it or
9:24 expanding its based on the
9:26 testimony we're going to hear
9:26 from the administration and
9:30 hopefully.
9:31 The public. The other
9:31 legislation we're hearing
9:33 today is another ver
9:34 yimportant piece of legislation
9:37 introduced by um which is
9:39 intro number nine to wait.
9:42 Sponsored by minority leader
9:43 David carney, which would
9:46 amend the administrative code
9:46 of the City of New York in
9:48 relation to establishing an
9:52 lgbt liaison within the
9:53 department of veteran services
9:55 for those of you that are
9:56 unfamiliar with minority
9:57 leader. Car. He's the best
9:59 Council Member of this body
10:01 has and certainly the best
10:02 island hats, I would love for
10:04 the minority leader to speak
10:04 on his bill. Thank you, chair.
10:08 I appreciate the pan of prais
10:10 e, but I have to start by
10:12 thanking you and commending
10:13 you for your leadership of
10:14 this committee since the start
10:16 of the term you've shown in
10:18 these last six months and
10:20 energy, enthusiasm and
10:23 determination to improve the
10:23 lot of the New York City
10:24 veteran community that I think
10:25 is not only commendable, but
10:27 it's necessary, I think that
10:28 we always have to have a focus
10:29 on those who served many of
10:32 whom served in combat, many o
10:33 fwhom served and came back
10:35 after traumatic experiences or
10:37 physically traumatic injuries.
10:39 These people were willing t
10:40 ogive their lives for our
10:43 nation and the least we could
10:44 do is support them now that
10:44 they're home and their pursuit
10:45 of jobs in their pursuit of
10:47 housing and their pursuit of
10:48 justice in some cases in
10:50 pursuit of a life of happiness
10:52 that they more than earned
10:53 with their service, so thank
10:55 you, chair for all of your
10:56 advocacy on behalf of this
10:58 wonderful community. Um I also
10:59 want to thank commissioner
11:00 motto for being here today. We
11:02 had a productive conversation
11:03 last week about the staten
11:04 island veteran community and I
11:07 think the New York City
11:07 community at large and I look
11:08 forward to continuing to work
11:09 with you and your team. I
11:11 appreciate you being here t
11:12 ogive feedback on these pieces
11:14 of legislation a this will
11:16 mark 15 years since congress
11:18 repealed the infamous don't
11:20 ask, don't tell policy, which
11:23 was supposed to allow lgbt
11:25 americans to serve in the
11:26 military as long as they did
11:28 not openly disclose their
11:30 sexual orientation intended as
11:31 a so called compromise, which
11:32 was in order to end
11:34 discrimination against gay and
11:35 lesbian and bisexual
11:36 individuals in the military.
11:39 In many ways, it did quite the
11:40 opposite, forcing people who
11:41 are willing to give their
11:41 lives to serve their country a
11:45 an opportunity to go back into
11:47 the closet sadly and buy some
11:48 estimates between world war
11:50 and die repeal in 2011. The
11:53 military discharge, as many as
11:54 a hundred 14000 service
11:56 members on the basis of their
11:58 actual or perceived sexual
12:00 orientation, and I think the
12:01 lesson of that period before d
12:04 a. D, the period in which it
12:05 was in place and then, of
12:06 course, the period since its
12:07 repeal. I think the lesson of
12:09 each of those those points in
12:11 time is that everyone should
12:13 be allowed to serve openly in
12:15 our nation's military,
12:15 regardless of their sexual
12:16 orientation or their gender
12:18 identity if you are willing to
12:19 put your life on the line for
12:21 the united states of america,
12:22 that is a commendable thing it
12:24 shows the inherent bravery and
12:25 character of who you are.
12:28 That's what speaks to the kind
12:29 of person that those
12:30 individuals are who want to
12:31 serve in that way and they
12:32 should all be given the
12:34 opportunity to do so freely
12:36 and openly and genuinely a
12:36 swho they are.
12:39 Um, the military continues
12:40 in all cases to issue service
12:43 members a characterization of
12:44 service upon their discharge
12:46 or discharged status and most
12:48 service members receive an
12:49 honorable discharge status,
12:51 which entitles each of them to
12:53 their va benefits, but those
12:54 who are discharged under
12:56 received a less than honorable
12:59 discharge, such as a general
13:00 discharge under honorable
13:01 conditions and other than
13:02 honorable discharge, a bad
13:04 conduct, discharge or even I
13:05 nsome cases a dishonorable
13:07 discharge as a result they
13:08 cannot access some of the
13:10 essential benefits awarded to
13:11 those who have served our
13:12 country's this is the
13:14 education benefits, health
13:15 benefits burials in the va
13:16 national cemetery and money
13:19 many more a when congress
13:21 repealed in 20 11, the
13:23 military established a process
13:25 for veterans discharged under
13:25 the policy to remove
13:27 justifications related t
13:29 otheir sexual orientation from
13:30 their paperwork and upgrade
13:31 their discharged status t
13:34 ohonorable yet that process
13:34 shamefully place the burden on
13:35 individual service members to
13:37 correct their records after
13:38 many of them had endured years
13:40 back years in decades, in some
13:45 cases to complete this
13:46 procedure, veterans must
13:47 assemble a variety of old
13:48 records in most cases a the
13:51 help the help of an attorney's
13:53 required and typically wait 18
13:54 months or more for the board
13:55 that the sides these
13:56 discharged status changes t
13:59 oupgrade those petitions a with
14:00 their respective military
14:01 branch of servi ifce they
14:03 exhaust their administrative
14:04 remedies, veterans must file
14:05 an appeal in court, uh, for
14:07 which they must seek the help
14:08 of a lawyer often at great
14:09 cost it is unclear how many