Issue Position: Veterans

Issue Position

Every day our brave men and women in uniform put their lives on the line to protect our freedom. Congress has a duty to ensure that members of the military receive the support and benefits they have earned and deserve. I have always been a strong advocate for our troops and am proud to have served in a Congress that has taken unprecedented steps to improve resources, benefits, health care, and education for service members and veterans.

Veterans Legislation

Since 2007, Congress has increased funding for veterans health care by nearly 70 percent, the largest increase in the 78-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This additional funding improves the quality of care and expands services for millions of veterans around the country, especially rural veterans like those living in Western North Carolina.

I voted for the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act of 2009, which was passed into law. This important legislation appropriated $47.7 billion for the Department of Veterans affairs, a $4.6 billion increase above 2008 funding. This legislation also increases funding for specialty mental health services and suicide prevention programs for veterans, increases enrollment of Priority 8 veterans, and increases access to health care providers for our veterans living in rural communities.

Veterans Health Care and Health Benefits

I was proud to join my colleagues last Congress in passing legislation that addresses the needs of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by providing them an additional three years of free VA health care and expanding mental health screening and testing to treat disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), the signature injuries of today's wars.

PTSD is a serious affliction that can cause severe social and emotional distress, and I am committed to doing everything I can to assist our returning heroes suffering from this condition. I also cosponsored and voted for the Joshua Omrig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. This legislation, which was signed into law in November 2007, directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and carry out a comprehensive program addressing the serious problems of PTSD, depression, and suicide rates among veterans. I also supported the Traumatic Brain Injury Health Enhancement and Long-Term Support Act, which ensures that our veterans will be properly screened and treated for traumatic brain injury.

I also support the Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act, which would prohibit increases in TRICARE premiums, co-payments for pharmaceuticals, and premiums for Guard and Reserve members enrolled in TRICARE.

I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act, which would allow the concurrent receipt of retired military pay and disability compensation.

Increasing educational opportunities for our veterans

To ensure our troops have the tools they need to succeed after their tours of duty are completed, Congress passed the Post-9/11 GI Bill. I was proud to be an original co-sponsor of this historic legislation, which expands veterans' educational opportunities to an estimated 2.1 million servicemen and women and guarantees that returning soldiers have the opportunity for a full, four-year college education. The Post-9/11 GI Bill went into effect in August 2010.

To improve benefits for veterans who want to pursue a vocational education, I co-sponsored and voted for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010, which expands the benefits in the Post-9/11 GI Bill to cover vocational schools, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. This bill passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by President Obama in January 2011.

Spousal Benefits

I support the Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP) and have cosponsored legislation to eliminate the reduction of survivor benefits by the amount of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) received.

Veterans Affairs Medical Facilities

High-quality health care is only beneficial to our veterans if it is accessible. Since taking office in 2006, I have been committed to improving access to health care for the thousands of rural veterans across Western North Carolina. I worked closely with the VA to open clinics in Franklin and Rutherfordton so that veterans in Western North Carolina can receive care closer to home. Prior to the opening of these clinics, veterans throughout the entire 11th District had to travel to Asheville to receive primary care from a VA facility.

Franklin VA Outpatient Clinic & Rutherford County Outpatient Clinic:

I was proud to work closely with the VA to open an outpatient facility in Franklin in August 2008 and the Rutherford County Outpatient Clinic in Rutherfordton in November 2009. These much-needed clinics will improve access to health care for thousands of veterans across Western North Carolina.
Charles George VA Medical Center:

I was proud to introduce legislation to rename the Asheville VA Medical Center in honor of Private First Class Charles George in the House of Representatives in May 2007. Pfc. George was a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and was raised in the Birdtown community of the Qualla Boundary. He attended Cherokee Schools before enlisting in the U.S. Army and being sent to fight in the Korean War. On November 30th, 1952, while fighting in Korea, Pfc. George was killed in action. He died saving the lives of those around him. According to the citation that accompanied his Congressional Medal of Honor, "Pfc. George shouted a warning to one comrade, pushed (another) soldier out of danger, and, with full knowledge of the consequences, unhesitatingly threw himself upon the grenade, absorbing the full blast of the explosion."

The President signed the legislation into law just after Veteran's Day 2007, officially changing the name and ensuring that Pfc. George's selfless heroism will be remembered for generations to come.

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