We can never adequately express our gratitude to our nation’s veterans, but the least we can do is fulfill the commitments we made to them to provide health care and other services they need – and which they earned with their sacrifices for our country. 

Just as it is the duty of every member of our armed forces to protect the freedoms and ideals of our country, it is our duty to uphold the promises that we made to our veterans.

I learned first-hand about veterans and their post-service needs from my father – who came back from World War II with a 100 percent service-connected disability. Consequently, since I was elected to Congress, I have worked to do right by our nation’s veterans.

In the 117th Congress, I am working to support our veterans by:

• Strengthening the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide prompt and effective health care services to all our veterans at its facilities, through telehealth, and in local communities;
• Ensuring that veterans with service-connected injuries receive their full benefits by supporting legislation to change current law which prevents veterans from receiving their full disability pay and retirement pay at the same time;
• Increasing job opportunities for veterans with on-the-job training;
• Providing incentives for small businesses to hire unemployed veterans;
• ensuring fairness for veteran-owned small businesses in federal contracts;
• Expanding relief, homeownership opportunities, and refinancing options for veterans;
• Providing overdue disability benefits to more than 150,000 veterans and survivors for exposure to Agent Orange and other harmful herbicides.

Brave men and women have placed themselves in the face of danger to protect our freedoms and liberties. I believe our government must ensure our veterans have access to the healthcare, disability, housing, and other services they deserve.