In support of our membership, the Chapter participates with national MOAA, the Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC/MOAA), the Joint Leadership Council of Veteran Service Organizations (JLC) and the Board for Veterans Services of Virginia, in actively advocating with various members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation and the Virginia General Assembly on issues of importance to the uniformed services, retiree, veteran and survivor communities. National MOAA, VCOC-MOAA, and RAC-MOAA are all nonpartisan.

At the national level, our efforts have had a profound impact on the legislative outcome of active-duty pay and benefits, COLA initiatives, concurrent receipt, combat-related special compensation, Tricare-for-Life, Tricare Pharmacy and Survivor Benefit Plan compensation to name just a few.

At the state level, our efforts have resulted in enhanced support for the National Guard and Reserve, construction of Veterans Care Centers, construction of state Veterans Cemeteries, funding for the expansion of the Virginia War Memorial, reorganization and increased staffing for the state Department of Veterans Services, creation of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, in-state tuition for service members, veterans and dependents domiciled in Virginia and many other legislative actions of great benefit to the military and veterans communities of Virginia.

On 7 December 2023, RAC-MOAA held its 16th Annual Legislative Forum.  The forum was held virtually at 0730 and 1500 to accommodate the busy schedules of Virginia General Assembly members and staff.  The forum addressed three key legislative initiatives for the 2024 Virginia General Assembly, as adopted by the JLC of twenty-four Veterans Service Organizations in Virginia (including MOAA). Two Senators and six Delegates and their representatives participated this year. In addition to legislators and members of RAC-MOAA, the Vice-Chair of JLC and 3rd Vice-President of the Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC), and two other Virginia Chapter representative participated and provided additional insights into the three JLC legislative initiatives to be introduced during the 2024 General Assembly.

Historically in January, representatives from the 16 MOAA chapters in Virginia converged together at the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond. During this day-long event, Virginia MOAA members meet with their state Senators and Delegates to advocate VCOC's state legislative objectives and acquire patrons and co-patrons for bills to support these objectives. In 2024 after completed rennovations to the General Assembly Building, VCOC representatives joined in the Joint Leadership Council (JLC) Day on the Hill and met with legislators. Chapter members also participated in the weekly Wednesday morning meetings with the Military Caucus to keep abreast of legislative efforts in support of the military community.

Each Spring in years past, our chapter sent a delegation of members to Washington, to meet with the Virginia Congressional Delegation and their legislative assistants, to establish and reinforce a working rapport at the "grass-roots" level. In recent years post-pandemic, members of the chapter's Legislative Committee have conducted group and one-on-one virtual meetings with both national and state legislators to discuss and promote MOAA and VCOC legislative interest items.

Each week, MOAA chapters receive the MOAA Legislative Update via electronic mail, which highlights items of immediate interest on the Washington scene. RAC-MOAA provides additional support for MOAA national legislative initiatives by alerting its members through the chapter's E-mail Network.

Should you desire to discuss a Legislative Affairs matter, or join our Legislative Committee call LCDR Wayne Sine at ‭(804) 363-5406‬ or send him an e-mail message by clicking here.