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A MESSAGE FROM CONGRESSWOMAN KAMLAGER-DOVE:
Dear Friend,
As Veterans Day approaches this Saturday, I look forward to spending time in CA-37 with our local heroes and their families.
The sacrifice and commitment that our veterans have made for our democracy is a debt that can never be repaid. On Veterans Day and every day, I hope that the CA-37 community can come together and embrace our veterans, survivors, and their families.
In Congress, it is also a chance for us to highlight the important benefits available to our veterans. House Democrats were instrumental in securing the enactment of the PACT Act last Congress, which has delivered over $2 billion in benefits to our veterans and survivors. However, we must do more to honor our Nation’s commitment to supporting our servicemembers.
For our women servicemembers, this includes ensuring that they have access to reproductive health care, maternal health care, and birth control and that Congress takes action to stamp out the rise of sexual assault on army bases. We also must be determined to protect our veterans long after they return home. It should be a priority that our Veterans have access to mental health resources and affordable, safe housing options. These are all things I will continue to support and advocate for in Congress.
SIGN UP FOR YOUR BENEFITS THROUGH THE PACT ACT
The PACT Act makes nearly 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans across the country eligible for VA benefits — marking the largest expansion of VA benefits in generations. There are over 1.5 million veterans in California, but according to recent PACT Act claims in the 37th Congressional District, only 800 of the 14,750 veterans have filed for their PACT Act benefits. Since Congress passed the PACT Act in 2022, the Department of Veterans Affairs has delivered more than $2.4 billion in PACT Act-related benefits to veterans and their survivors. For more information on how CA-37 veterans can benefit from the PACT Act, click here.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has made record accomplishments this year in delivering benefits to our veterans. Visit VA.gov/PACT to submit a claim to receive your benefits.
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To read more about how I've worked to support veterans, click here.
RECEIVE COUNSELING FROM TRUSTED PROVIDERS
Thanks to the COMPACT Act signed into law in 2020, any veteran who is in an acute suicidal crisis, even those who have never enrolled in VA healthcare, can go to a VA or non-VA healthcare facility to receive emergency stabilization care at no cost. This program is expected to provide crisis care for up to 9 million veterans. To read more about how the COMPACT Act helps our veterans, click here.
In addition, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act allowed for access to the veterans crisis line under the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Veterans who reach out to 988 can press 1 to be directed to a counselor specially trained to support our servicemembers in their time of need.
HONOR A VETERAN'S LEGACY
Submit photos and information about your veteran's story for the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. The program collects and preserves firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they experienced during their service. Share your veteran's story and honor their legacy today.
If you have a veteran loved one interred in a cemetery, you can search for them in the Veterans Legacy Memorial from the Department of Veterans Affairs and add tributes and stories to their page. Keep their memory alive while keeping them close to your heart this Veterans Day.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK
As always, I encourage you to contact my offices with any comments or concerns about my work in Congress, the 37th District, or any other matters. Please connect with me on Facebook, , and Instagram to stay up to date on my work in Congress. If you are experiencing issues with Social Security, passports, immigration, or another Federal agency, send in a casework request, and my staff will be happy to assist you.
Sincerely,
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