Veterans Plan

America’s veterans have risked their lives to defend our great nation and protect our freedoms. As the mother of a Marine officer, I understand the sacrifices that are made by our service members and their families each day. That’s why one of my top priorities in Congress is to make sure every American service member and veteran is well-equipped and adequately supported, whether they are actively serving our country or transitioning back to civilian life.

Congress, the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have a duty to serve our military community. Programs for veterans must be transparent, effective, and affordable. Due to historical issues within the VA, such as the misappropriation of funds, inconsistency in delivering quality healthcare, and claims backlogs, my priority is to ensure the VA undergoes reforms to ensure it can fulfill its mission to properly support our veterans.

House Republicans upheld their commitment to our nation’s veterans during the 118^th Congress through the passage of Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This bill, which I cosponsored and voted to support, passed the House of Representatives and was signed into law. This legislation reforms the VA and improves and strengthens the services and benefits that veterans and their families rely on. Additionally, this omnibus package contained multiple bills that I championed, such as H.R. 41, the VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023, and H.R. 491, the Return Home to Housing Act. These bills make it easier for veterans to schedule a VA appointment and provide new resources for veteran housing.  This package helps uphold our nation’s commitment to the men and women who served our nation and fought for our freedoms.

Building on my previous successes in advocating for veterans, I have developed a comprehensive plan to safeguard and enhance federal programs dedicated to our veterans. My plan to deliver for America’s Veterans focuses on four core pillars: Ensuring VA Transparency and Accountability, Expanding Access to Quality Healthcare, Supporting the Transition to Civilian Life, and Honoring the Sacrifice of Those Who Served. I encourage you to read more about each of these initiatives below.

Ensuring VA Transparency and Accountability

• Cosponsored H.R. 472, the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025: The bill authorizes the VA to fire, demote, or suspend VA supervisors and managers for unacceptable performance or misconduct. Veterans risked their lives for our country, and it is our duty to provide the best possible care for them. This will help hold the VA accountable and allow the VA to remove individuals that are not meeting the needs of our nation’s veterans.
• Cosponsored H.R. 3643, the VA Data Transparency and Trust Act: This bill requires the VA to improve its data disclosure to Congress, allowing for better oversight over the VA system. Data shared by the VA would be required to be sortable by certain categories, such as the conditions being treated, the demographics of the individuals, and the response times that these veterans receive. This will help improve oversight over the VA and improve the quality of care.
• Cosponsored H.R. 1732, the GUARD VA Benefits Act: This legislation reinstates criminal penalties for individuals who charge veterans and their families unauthorized fees for assisting with VA benefits claims. This ensures that our veterans are protected from predatory practices and receive the full benefits to which they are entitled.
• Cosponsored H.R. 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act: This bill prohibits the VA from reporting a veteran as incapable of owning a firearm for using a fiduciary to manage their benefits. This prevents veterans from having their Second Amendment rights stripped solely for asking for help in managing the complex VA bureaucracy.
• Cosponsored H.R. 4398, the Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act: This legislation requires the VA to certify a veteran’s death within 48 hours of being informed. Delays in obtaining a death certificate promptly impose an undue burden on families who are already grieving and trying to plan military honors for their loved one.

Expanding Access to Quality Healthcare

• Cosponsored H.R. 740, the Veterans’ ACCESS Act of 2025: This bipartisan legislation is aimed at improving veterans’ access to healthcare by codifying existing access standards for community care. Additionally, this bill establishes a pilot program that would allow veterans direct access to outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment. This will help ensure that we continue to deliver timely and high-quality care to our veterans.
• Cosponsored H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act: This bill will remove the arbitrary 20-year service requirement for veterans to receive disability compensation concurrently with retired pay or combat-related special compensation. This will ensure veterans who were disabled while serving our nation receive the benefits that they earned and they have the resources they need to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

Supporting the Transition to Civilian Life

• Cosponsored H.R. 2605, the SAVES Act: This legislation provides grants and funding initiatives to organizations that train service dogs and place them with veterans. This bill would cover the intensive training costs that ensure the dog can assist with PTSD mitigation and mobility issues. By providing service dogs to support our veterans as they transition to civilian life, we can better support their transition and recovery.
• Cosponsored H.R. 438, the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act: This legislation creates a national program that connects veterans suffering from PTSD or a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with other veterans suffering under similar circumstances. This program is based off a similar program at the state-level in New York. Connecting veterans with their peers allows them to confide in peers they can trust, in addition to trained VA civilian staff.
• Cosponsored H.R. 1364, the Automotive Support Services to Improve Safe Transportation (ASSIST) Act of 2025: This bill provides funding for ramp and kneeling systems, lowered floors, and mobility device lifts, among other accessibility modifications through the VA. This ensures that disabled veterans obtain necessary adaptations for their vehicles and supports them in regaining independence.

Honoring the Sacrifice of Those Who Served

• Introduced H.R. 4268, the Remembering Our Local Heroes Act: This bill establishes a grant program to support memorials dedicated to veterans of the United States Armed Forces, as well as law enforcement officers and firefighters. We must remember our history and honor the sacrifices of our local veterans. We owe it to their memory to erect these memorials and preserve these local landmarks.
• Cosponsored H.Res. 373, Expressing support for the month of May as “Fallen Heroes Memorial Month”: This resolution requests that the President issue an annual proclamation designating May as Fallen Heroes Memorial Month. Additionally, this Resolution honors the veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and recognizes the families and loved ones of such veterans.
• Cosponsored H.R. 803, the Sergeant Gary Beikirch Medal of Honor Act: This legislation allows Medal of Honor recipients’ widows and widowers to receive the Medal of Honor special pension simultaneously with traditional veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation. We must ensure we honor the families and the sacrifice of those who served our country bravely with distinction.

I also want you to know that my office is a resource to all veterans in need of assistance. If you or a loved one is having any difficulty receiving the care or benefits you earned, call my office today. My team of expert caseworkers is here to assist you in navigating the process. You can reach my offices directly at (585) 869-2060, (716) 514-5130, or (315) 236-7088. Your views are also always important to me. Please contact me through my website or call my office at 202-225-3665 with any feedback, questions, or concerns.