As the nation prepares for its annual remembrance of deceased military personnel, political representatives are announcing new initiatives for veterans.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat representing New York in Washington, is introducing legislation to improve access to health care and other benefits for New York veterans by requiring the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to inform all new veterans of the benefits they are eligible for, and provide all necessary application materials.

Of the 44,303 veterans in North Country, 32,691 are not receiving VA health care benefits, Gillibrand says, many simply because they don’t know what’s available and what they’re eligible for.

The state Senate has passed a series of bills to benefit veterans, military service members and their families.

The bills cover a broad range of topics, according to Sen. Patty Ritchie, from a plan to create free fishing events to veterans and active duty service members (a bill cosponsored by Ritchie) to bills making more veterans eligible for property tax relief.

Ritchie, a Republican from Heuvelton, represents an area from Oswego up through Jefferson County to eastern St. Lawrence County.