Veterans Plan

America’s veterans 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 every day. One of my top priorities in Congress is to ensure 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 War (DOW), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have a duty to serve our military community. All programs dedicated to veterans must be transparent, effective, and affordable. Due to historical issues within the VA, such as misappropriation of funds, inconsistent delivery of quality healthcare, and claims backlogs, I will ensure the VA continues to undergo the reforms necessary to fulfill its mission of supporting our veterans. I am committed to supporting legislation that reaffirms our nation’s commitment to the men and women who served our nation and courageously fought for our freedoms.

House Republicans have upheld their commitment to our nation’s veterans during the 119th Congress by passing legislation, including H.R. 1663, the Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Act of 2025. This bill, which I cosponsored and supported, reforms the VA by establishing stronger protections for veterans against fraud. Additionally, I voted to support H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2025, which increases the supplemental monthly payment for certain severely disabled veterans receiving the highest levels of aid and attendance compensation, expands VA home loan eligibility to certain members of the National Guard and Reserve, and provides surviving spouses with greater benefit stability. Furthermore, the House advanced veterans’ Second Amendment protections by passing H.R. 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act, which prohibits the VA from transmitting a veteran’s or beneficiary’s information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System solely because a fiduciary has been appointed to manage the individual’s benefits, unless a judicial authority finds that the individual is a danger to themselves or others.

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 enable it to remove individuals who 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 need to be sortable by categories such as the conditions being treated, the demographics of the individuals, and the response times 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 financial 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. 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, with a coroner/medical examiner as an alternative if the provider cannot meet the deadline. Delays in obtaining a death certificate impose a 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. 9237, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act: This legislative package includes comprehensive reforms that would modernize, enhance, and secure the delivery of healthcare, benefits, and support services at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This bill combines more than 60 bipartisan veterans’ bills into a single package, including provisions of H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act, which would permit the concurrent receipt of retirement pay and VA disability compensation. This package expands veterans’ access to healthcare through both VA and community providers, improves disability compensation and survivor benefits, strengthens caregiver support programs, expands mental health and suicide prevention programs, honors veterans through improved memorial services, modernizes VA information technology and infrastructure, and streamlines benefits administration. 
• 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.

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 and mobility issues. By providing service dogs to support our veterans as they transition to civilian life, we can better support their recovery and independence.
• Cosponsored H.R. 438, the PFC 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 fellow veterans who face similar challenges. This program is modeled on a similar program at the state level in New York. Connecting veterans with their peers gives them an additional trusted source of support alongside trained VA 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 the necessary adaptations for their vehicles and helps them regain 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 the construction, restoration, renovation, and maintenance of memorials honoring 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 build 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 made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and recognizes their families and loved ones.
• 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 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 available to assist you. 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.