Issue Position: Veterans Issues

Issue Position

The brave men and women of our military are among America's greatest heroes. Individuals serving in the military come from all backgrounds and unite in a common goal to protect and defend the freedoms and values that make the United States like no other. These men and women have made enormous sacrifices for our country and their service should never be forgotten.

During my time in Congress, I have worked hard to support policies that honor, support and care for our veterans. This includes making sure that our veterans receive the benefits they've earned and enabling a seamless transition into civilian life. Whether it's providing better housing options, improving access to health care, expanding education and job training programs, or reforming the administration of benefits, our policies should aim to achieve a better quality of life for our nation's heroes.

The first bill I introduced in Congress, H.R. 2011, the Veterans Advisory Committee on Education Improvement Act, is a bipartisan effort focused on enhancing the job training and education opportunities for our veterans. The bill would extend a Committee which has a long history of advising the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on advancing education and job training programs for veterans. Most importantly, the bill expands the Committee to include a voice for post-9/11 vets who are returning home in record numbers and deserve access to quality job training and education programs. I was pleased that the bill passed through the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and I look forward to working towards its passage.

I have also been a vocal supporter of legislative initiatives such as H.R. 1725, the Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act, which helps abate the high prevalence of mental health disorders in veterans, the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act, H.R. 1742, which helps ensure severely wounded veterans are not prevented from accessing housing because of the cost of the care they receive for their injuries, and the 21st Century Health Care for Heroes Act, H.R. 2590, which requires the DOD and VA to better coordinate the transfer of soldiers' medical records. All of these proposals are a step in the right direction to ensure that our veterans receive the care and support they deserve as they return home from conflict.

During debate of the Defense Appropriations Bill, I offered an amendment to increase funding for Fisher House, which provides free lodging near hospitals for military families when servicemen and veterans are receiving care. My amendment increased funding from $4 million to $20 million and will allow four new Fisher Houses to be built across the country. These new houses are owned and operated by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and will allow approximately 2,000 additional military families per year to stay with their heroes in their time of need at the hospital.

Moving forward, I will continue to be a strong advocate for the brave men and women of our armed services.

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