Issue Position: Veterans

Issue Position

Department of Veterans Affairs Reform

The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 was a great step in the right direction for veterans across the country. I want to ensure that we further the reforms contained in this bill and continue fighting for the many veterans here in District 4. When our veterans served our nation abroad, they were promised adequate care for their services. For too long, our nation has turned our back on this group of heroes. I propose we trim down on much of the bureaucratic structure that keeps lines long at the VA and prevents veterans from receiving the care they need. Instead of spending money on life-long bureaucrats that do little to help veterans, I believe we should spend more of our money directly on the veterans. This should be done by hiring the best doctors and caretakers to ensure our veterans are getting the same level of care they would elsewhere. As your Congressman, I will hold the VA accountable and make sure it is transparent in all of its interactions with veterans.

Unemployment and Homelessness

Some of the most upstanding and loyal members of our society are also the most downtrodden and deserted. Career politicians in Washington, despite their fluffy rhetoric, have completely abandoned the veterans who have left the Army and attempted to reintegrate into the society they helped ensure stays safe. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, forty thousand veterans are homeless on any given night, and an estimated 1.4 million other veterans are considered at risk of homelessness. Thankfully, due to a thriving economy under the current administration's economic policies, veteran unemployment has reached record lows within the last year. However, if the unemployment rate is decreasing but 1.4 million veterans still remain in danger of homelessness, veterans must not be receiving the help they need to obtain well-paying jobs. I want to propose shifting a portion of our defense budget towards Veteran Reentry Programs, designed to create the strong support networks and employment resources our veterans deserve. These programs would help retrain veterans whose skill sets had fallen out of demand while serving in the Armed Forces. They would also provide veterans with easy access to job application resources such as interview preparations, resume workshops, and possibly a database where employers with military backgrounds could be displayed. These job programs would help keep veterans out of poverty and therefore out of the seemingly constant risk of homelessness. Our veterans often put everything on the line in defense of our way of life; our government owes them a smooth transition into civilian lives so they can enjoy the freedoms they help protect.

Mental Health

The mental health of veterans has only been recognized as a legitimate policy issue in recent years. Due to the rise of mental health disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, we have seen a growing number of veterans who struggle and are in need of care. The VA and our nation are currently failing to address this issue. Regardless of whether a veteran has been discharged, we are responsible for caring for their mental health disorders. I support any legislation that tackles this issue and provides programs to assist veterans with mental health concerns. Additionally, I think we should help veterans that had previously been separated from mental health care due to possible "misconduct" while serving. These people were willing to fight and serve their country, and often they face unexpected consequences. Because of this, it is our duty to serve them and ensure their minds are healthy and they are able to resume their normal lives.

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