Issue Position: Veterans, Foreign Affairs

Issue Position

Helping Austin Veterans Get the Care They Need

After hearing from some of our neighbors about the need for a VA facility in Central Texas, I began working to make sure that the dollars we vote to spend in Washington make a real difference in the lives of area veterans. Last August, I was privileged to be a part of the new Austin Outpatient Clinic's (AOC) ribbon-cutting ceremony. It is the largest veterans clinic of its kind anywhere in America, with triple the size of the old clinic and double the clinic staff. The AOC has a women's clinic, with a designated entrance and waiting area for women to protect the needs of those who have experienced sexual trauma. In addition, with the funds that Congress approved for the clinic, we were able to purchase thousands of additional square feet of space in a separate location where all mental health services will be housed. If any veteran represented by me feels they are not getting the VA care they earned, please let me know so I can help.

Congressman Doggett Works to Ensure No Veteran Has to Make the Decision Between Getting Well and Getting Paid

I have reintroduced the Wounded Veteran Job Security Act to ensure that no wounded veteran ever has to make the decision between getting well and getting paid. Over 45,000 Americans have been wounded as a result of their brave service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Complications from amputations sometimes force veterans to return repeatedly to the VA for care. Or, what begins as a migraine may later be diagnosed as a Traumatic Brain Injury, requiring a battery of tests. We have a duty to support our veterans when they return home, and this bill will amend existing law to establish a right for veterans who receive treatment for illness, injuries, and disabilities incurred as a result of their service to the United States to be retained by their employers. The legislation is supported by many organizations, including the American Legion, the Disabled Veterans of America, Veterans for Common Sense, and the Reserve Officers Association.
Protecting Veterans Healthcare, Retirement, and Education Benefits

The needs of those in uniform do not end on the battlefield, and neither should our obligation to them. I have previously voted to stop Department of Defense efforts to impose more costs on our service members and veterans who rely on Tricare. In 2009, with my support, Congress delivered -- for the first time ever-- "advance appropriations" for veterans' health care by approving two budgets at once so that the VA can rely on a stable and uninterrupted source of health care funding--dollars less subject to political or legislative delays. More recently, I have worked to protect these benefits. After years of cuts, keeping rigid caps on federal spending can only harm our national security. This is why I offered an alternative plan, which would have avoided changes in retirement and further reductions in funding for our national defense by closing corporate tax loopholes. We should not cut compensation for our troops while corporations can pay their lobbyists more than they pay in taxes. They should contribute their fair share to providing for the servicemembers who defend our country.

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