Veterans Plan

America’s veterans have put so much on the line to defend our great Nation and safeguard our freedoms. As the mother of a Marine, 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 ensure every American service member and veteran is well-equipped and properly supported, whether they are actively serving our country or returning to civilian life.

Congress, the Departments of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have an obligation to deliver for our military community. Programs for veterans must be transparent, effective, and affordable. Given the problems that have historically plagued the VA, including misspending, inconsistency in providing quality healthcare, and backlogs of claims, my focus is on making sure the VA is reformed to effectively meet its mission set and serve 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 and I look forward to your feedback.

Ensuring VA Transparency and Accountability

• Co-Led H.R. 8048, the Fred Hamilton Veterans’ Lost Records Act: This bill will authorize the VA to accept alternative documentation to grant disability compensation claims if the military treatment records were lost by the VA after being transmitted by DOD. This ensures that our veterans still receive the care they deserve and no longer have to navigate endless bureaucratic nonsense to receive this care.
• Cosponsored H.R. 41, the VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2022: This legislation will make significant strides in accountability at the VA to ensure our country’s heroes are getting the highest quality of care in a timely manner. Veterans should expect the scheduling process for appointments to be completed upon their first call to the VA.
• Cosponsored H.R. 7816, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act: This bill will require the VA to reform its letters and correspondence to veterans to ensure that all notice letters are clear, concise, and provide sufficient information. Recent Congressional hearings have made it clear that current VA communications are confusing, unnecessarily complex, and can overwhelm veterans. We must do more to simplify this process and ensure our veterans receive all the information they need in an easily understandable format.

Expanding Access to Quality Healthcare

• Cosponsored H.R. 1045, the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2023: This legislation will improve VA healthcare benefits for dependents under the TRICARE Young Adult Program. This bipartisan bill amends Title 10 of U.S. Code to prevent the Secretary of Veteran Affairs from regulating premium prices for TRICARE program coverage, particularly premiums for dependents. The change will allow children of veterans to stay on their parents’ plan until the age of 26, just like any other health insurance plan.
• Cosponsored H.R. 1282, the Major Richard Star Act: This bill will expand the VA’s capacity to assist veterans by allowing combat-disabled uniformed services retirees to receive veterans’ disability compensation concurrently with retired pay or combat-related special compensation. It will ensure those who were injured while serving this country have the resources, they need to live a healthy and fulfilling life. 
• Cosponsored H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act: This comprehensive package includes a multitude of bipartisan proposals to improve healthcare and other VA services and benefits for our veterans, their loved ones, and their survivors. This legislation has been endorsed by over 40 veterans groups, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).

Supporting the Transition to Civilian Life

• Co-Lead H.R. 491, the Return Home to Housing Act: This bipartisan legislation will increase the maximum rate of daily payments to grant recipients and authorized entities that provide transitional housing and services for homeless veterans across the country. Veterans will now also see their per diem rates adjusted accordingly in response to emergencies. This will expand the housing services available to homeless veterans, ensuring no veterans will be left on the street. 
• Cosponsored H.R. 2768, the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act: This legislation will create a national program that connects veterans suffering from PTSD or a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with other veterans suffering under similar circumstances. Connecting veterans with their peers allows them to confide in someone they can trust in addition to trained VA civilian staff.[NL2] [NL3] 

Honoring the Sacrifice of Those Who Served

• Introduced H.R. 5318, the Remembering Our Local Heroes Act: This bill will honor our fallen or disabled heroes by providing grants to local governments to support memorials to veterans of the United States Armed Forces, as well as law enforcement officers and firefighters. We cannot forget our history and the sacrifice of our local heroes; we owe it to their memory to erect these memorials or to keep these local landmarks maintained.[NL4] 
• Cosponsored H.R. 3149, the National Medal of Honor Highway Act: This bipartisan legislation will designate United States Route 20 as the as the “National Medal of Honor Highway”. We must never forget our service members decorated with the prestigious Medal of Honor who are recognized for their extraordinary efforts to defend our nation above the call of duty.
• Cosponsored H.R. 841, the Sergeant Gary Beikirch Medal of Honor Act: This bipartisan legislation allows Medal of Honor recipients’ spouses 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.
• Cosponsored H.R. 6507, the Mark Our Place Act: This bill would eliminate the arbitrary restrictions for families, Veteran Service Organizations, or cemetery administrators to request a headstone for Medal of Honor recipients. Currently, only Medal of Honor recipients that served after 1917 are eligible for these headstones.

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 are having any difficulty receiving the care you need, call my office today. My team of expert caseworkers is here to help you navigate 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 write to me on my website or call my office at 202-225-3665 with feedback, questions, or concerns.