Issue Position: Veterans

Issue Position

Standing Up For Our Armed Services and Veterans

We have an obligation to protect our brave men and women in uniform both while on active duty and after they come home. This has always been one of my top priorities.

I was proud to serve on the Veterans Affairs Committee throughout my 6 years in the Texas Senate. As a senator, I was proud to reach across the aisle to help pass a constitutional amendment that provides tax exemptions for disabled veterans and their spouses. I was also proud when I created a source of funding through the renewal of drivers licenses and motor vehicle registrations and co-authored the creation of a veterans' specific lottery ticket, each of which have raised millions to support our veterans.

Unfortunately, too many politicians in Washington like to pay lip service to our veterans without providing them with needed support after they've sacrificed so much on our collective behalf.

As a member of Congress, I will work to:

1. Increase investments in mental health services, disability benefits and job training;
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2. Expand access to small business tax credits to encourage hiring veterans;
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3. Increase the travel reimbursements for long distance care and increase benefits for caregivers, spouses and dependents;
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4. Expand critical benefits that assist with homeownership;
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5. Fully fund the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which provides economic and education opportunities for our service members;
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6. Fight the growing homelessness problem for our returning service members and ensure that no person who serves our country should ever be homeless;

7. Protect funding for our military bases like Joint Base San Antonio from being raided for other purposes.

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