Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Dent and Ranking Member Bishop for allowing me to present my amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to highlight the need for better access to resources and services for our veterans and military families.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and other Federal agencies are providing a vast array of services and resources that our heroes deserve, but the Federal Government alone is not able to address every challenge our servicemen and -women and their families are facing and will face in years to come. Many community providers and local governments are starting their own initiatives to assist veterans in applying for benefits with VA and other organizations.

For those 37,000 veterans living in the 12th Congressional District of North Carolina, it is important that community-based groups work collaboratively with local, State, and Federal Government service providers so that recipients know where all of these different benefits and resources are and how to access them.

Additionally, we need to make sure we are holding service providers accountable and that performance measures are in place.

My amendment encourages the VA to assist with establishing and expanding technology systems at the local and State level to create a more unified network of veteran services. These networks would include private, public, and nonprofit partners who are qualified to serve veterans and their families.

My amendment directs funding to a grant program that has not yet been authorized by law, and will be subject to a point of order.

I look forward to working with the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and with the Appropriations Committee to make this funding a reality for our community providers in the future.

The veterans in my district, in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Rowan, Davidson, Forsyth, and Guilford Counties, have noted that they have difficulties finding and accessing the services that are available to them and their families.

As more servicemen and -women come home from serving overseas, Congress must support innovation and local solutions to providing services for our Nation's veterans.

I thank the chairman and the ranking member for allowing me to present my amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

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