Issue Position: Veterans
Issue Position
California is home to 2,000,000 Veterans. President Trump's Forever GI Bill was enacted in 2017 and was supported by every member of Congress. In other words, both major parties, Republicans and Democrats, agreed unanimously to support our Veterans nationwide in all arenas of life: healthcare, housing, employment, education, to name a few. We must ensure the proper enforcement and efficiency of this bill in order to serve the ones who have served us. The VA has made significant improvement since the Trump Administration; nonetheless, there are some key areas where we can improve.
Mental health disorders such as PTSD and depression are among the top contributors for the decline in the overall well-being of a Veteran. Suicide rates have increased among the Veterans and non-veterans at the same level, i.e. approximately 20 suicides per day. However, the suicide rate increased among Veterans who failed to receive quality healthcare compared to Veterans that did receive healthcare.
To properly help the Veterans assimilate in the civilian life, we must hold our government accountable to do its job. We must hold ourselves accountable by allowing a smooth and effective transition for all Veterans into civilian life. If we believe that healthcare is something that should be made a priority for all Americans, then certainly, Veterans should not be alienated from this top-level healthcare. Most importantly, it is our civic duty to ensure that Veteran care in all arenas of life is one of the top priorities.
Orange County Veteran Cemetery
Orange County Veterans do not have the option of choosing Orange County as a place to be laid to rest. I am advocating we build a Veteran Cemetery at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine. Our neighbor counties: Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego, all have a veteran cemetery; it is time we build one for Veterans here in the 45th Congressional District. I will work with the Irvine City Council and the California State Legislature to expedite the creation of an Orange County Veteran Cemetery.
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