A Congressman from Long Island has helped reintroduce a bill that would provide grant funding to local veterans groups that need to make necessary upgrades to their meeting halls.
Congressmen Andrew R. Garbarino (R-Patchogue) and Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) announced the reintroduction of the Saving Vet Halls Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation to create a grant program addressing the needs of local Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) as they continue to struggle to keep their facilities open.
VSOs such as the American Legion, AMVETS, and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) serve as community centers providing crucial services to veterans, servicemembers, dependents, and survivors in our communities, many of which require the use of VSO facilities.
“Veterans’ halls play an important role in our communities. They connect veterans to the services they’ve earned and give people a place to come together,” Garbarino said. “These spaces host everything from job fairs to memorials, but too many are being forced to close their doors because of aging infrastructure and limited resources. The Saving Vet Halls Act makes sure Veteran Service Organizations can continue supporting the men and women who served and the communities they live in.”
“Veterans’ halls are the heartbeats of our communities, where neighbors come together to celebrate life’s milestones and where veterans receive vital support,” Torres added. “The Saving Vet Halls Act of 2025 recognizes the essential role played by Veteran Service Organizations like the American Legion, AMVETS, and Veterans of Foreign Wars, ensuring they can continue serving those who’ve served us. By creating this $10 million grant program, we’re giving local heroes the tools they need to repair, renovate, and modernize their facilities for the next generation.”
There are over 100 national Veterans Service Organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that serve millions of veterans across the country. Too often, these organizations are forced to rely on small fundraisers, volunteer labor, or go without essential repairs due to a lack of dedicated funding. That’s why Congress must act by establishing a federal grant program specifically designed to help VSO posts make critical facility repairs and upgrades.
The Saving Vet Halls Act of 2025 takes action to alleviate the financial burden on these local Veterans’ Halls so that veterans and their families can continue to rely on them for support. Specifically, this bill would:
- establish a $10 million grant program through the VA that allows local VSOs to apply for grants of up to $75,000 to make necessary infrastructure and technology improvements to keep these buildings open and operational.
- require VSOs to submit plans demonstrating the need for funding as well as the use of such funds to the VA Secretary, who would then prioritize grant allocation based on need and the capacity to complete the project.
Additional original cosponsors of the Saving Vet Halls Act of 2025 include Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida), Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point), Don Davis (D-North Carolina), Mike Lawler (R-Pearl River), Angie Craig (D-Minnesota), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), Joe Neguse (D-Colorado), and Tom Kean (R-New Jersey). First introduced in 2022, this legislation is endorsed by the American Legion, VFW, and AMVETS.
“The American Legion proudly supports the Saving Vet Halls Act of 2025,” said Mario Marquez, the executive director of government affairs of The American Legion. “This commonsense legislation recognizes the essential role that local veterans service organizations play in our communities — providing fellowship, outreach, and critical support to those who served. By offering targeted grants to chartered veterans service organizations for facility repairs and technology upgrades, this bill will ensure that posts across the country remain safe, accessible, and equipped to serve future generations of veterans.”
AMVETS National Executive Director Joseph Chenelly said the bill would “provide critical resources to preserve and modernize local veterans’ halls. These spaces are essential to the well-being and connection of the veteran community, and this bill ensures they remain open and accessible for generations to come.”