Issue Position: Military & Veterans' Affairs

Issue Position

Colorado's Fifth District is the proud home to one of our nation's most military-intensive congressional districts and to more than 100,000 veterans who have served our country with distinction and honor. It is the countless sacrifices of our servicemen and women that have given us the freedom, prosperity, and way of life which make this country the greatest in the world.

Congressman Lamborn's appointment to the House Armed Services Committee was a significant victory for Colorado's 5th District. In this role, he has a powerful voice to serve as an advocate for our troops, and a greater opportunity to protect the critical military installations here at home. He will continue to fight for better pay and full funding for our troops so that they can receive the best training and equipment available.

Taking the lead to persuade the Army of all the advantages Fort Carson provides, Congressman Lamborn's efforts, along with other members of the Colorado delegation, have helped an additional Brigade Combat Team to Fort Carson. The Brigade Combat Team consists of 4,877 soldiers and support personnel, in addition to their families. In his leadership role as a subcommittee ranking member on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Lamborn has already helped to push through legislation in the U.S. House seeking to establish a Veterans Cemetery to El Paso County. This will better serve the needs of the more than 150,000 veterans, and their families, living in Southern Colorado.

Congressman Lamborn has also introduced and worked to pass measures helping to properly honor our veterans and ensure that we keep our promises to these men and women who have made deep sacrifices to protect our nation. This legislation includes H.R. 2696, the Veterans' Dignified Burial Assistance Act of 2007, and an amendment to H.R. 797, the Blinded Veterans Paired Organ Act of 2007, which allows the Veterans' Administration to issue bronze medallions to families who wish to identify veteran status on a private gravesite marker for their loved one.

Our veterans deserve rapid and accurate service as they secure their benefits. As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Lamborn has been working on behalf of all veterans to make it easier for them to receive the benefits they deserve in a timely manner.

Our strong military presence has served as an invaluable asset to our troops with training, readiness, and preparation to fight the Global War on Terrorism. In addition, it has benefited our local economy. Currently, the expansion of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site is a delicate issue, but it is vital to better training for our soldiers as they train to fight the battles of the 21st Century. Congressman Lamborn is striving to create a win-win solution for everyone affected by the PCMS expansion issue.

Major Legislative Actions

Sponsored Legislation on Military/Veterans Affairs Issues

* H.RES.906 - Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the United States Air Force Space Command headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

* H.R. 295 - To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado.

* H.R. 1864 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the automated processing of veterans disability compensation claims.

* H.R. 2696 - Veterans' Dignified Burial Assistance Act of 2007 to increase from $300 to $400 the burial plot allowance paid for veterans interred in cemeteries other than national cemeteries, authorizes the use of up to $5 million per year under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) state cemetery grant program for operating and maintaining state cemeteries.

* H.R. 3047 - The Veterans Claims Processing Innovation Act of 2007 Amendments Offered on Military/Veterans Affairs Issues

* H.R.1660 - To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region. Lamborn offered an amendment, which was accepted, to this bill ensuring that the cemetery would be built in El Paso County.

* H.R. 797 - The Dr. James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act. Lamborn offered an amendment, which was accepted, to this bill, which provides families the option of choosing a bronze V in lieu of a VA headstone for graves already marked by a private marker. Many private cemeteries do not allow a second marker on a grave because it complicates routine maintenance. Therefore, a bronze V would identify a veteran's grave in a manner that would be universally acceptable and meet the families' desires to honor the deceased veteran.

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