Dear Friend, 

Our veterans sacrifice so much for our freedom. When they come home, they deserve our support for their life after service. As your representative, it is my responsibility to make sure that our veterans in the Sixth Congressional District have their voices heard in the halls of Congress.

Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed several bills designed to improve the care and benefits available to our veterans. This means putting money back into the pockets of veterans pursuing higher education and speeding up the process to request and receive primary and emergency care. Read on to hear more about our recent victories for veterans on the House floor…

H.R. 502

Since it was implemented in 2009, the Post 9/11 GI Bill has helped 800,000 veterans and their families achieve higher education and a path to homeownership. Under the Montgomery GI Bill, service members must contribute a portion of their basic pay to receive educational benefits. However, eligible members can instead choose to receive benefits under the Post 9/11 GI bill without a contribution requirement. Under the bill we passed, service members who chose to receive benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill and who also paid into Montgomery GI Bill benefits would be rightfully eligible for repayment of these contributions.

RELIEVE Act

It is crucial in mental and physical health crisis situations that care is accessible for veterans. Currently under Care for the Community, the VA’s community care program reimburses veterans for care outside of the VA health system when local care is not available. However, veterans only qualify for this reimbursement if they have received health services at a VA facility within the last 24 months—which unfortunately, short-staffing and reduced hours has only made that qualification more difficult.

The RELIEVE Act would expand Care for the Community coverage to include emergency care. Additionally, the bill considers enrollment in VA Health as a qualifying treatment for reimbursement and expands the amount of time veterans have to complete these requirements. We were proud to support this bill, which will help make emergency care more accessible when it is needed most.

Wounded Warrior Access Act

Administrative slowdowns at the VA can leave our service members and their families in the lurch while they wait for care or reimbursement. The Wounded Warrior Access Act would eliminate the need for veterans to travel in-person to a VA location or mail in a form to request paper copies of their claim files. The bill establishes a secure online resource for veterans to submit electronic requests for their claims, cutting down on red tape and saving valuable time.

Thank you to those who have served and the families who support them. Americans live with the comfort of knowing that our freedoms and safety are protected at home and abroad. If our office can ever be of support, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our team in Otsego can assist you and your loved ones if you are facing issues with the VA. Please call (763) 241-6848 or contact us online here.

Sincerely,