Veterans
Honoring Our Commitment to Those Who Served
As a West Point graduate who spent eight years as an infantry officer, Senator Reed knows what it means to serve and has great respect for all our veterans.
America's veterans have demonstrated time and again that they are willing to make great sacrifices for the future of our great nation.
Senator Reed believes it is imperative we keep our commitment to our vets and provide them with access to quality, affordable health care and housing and all the benefits they and their families have earned.
To follow through on this commitment, Reed, in his role last year as acting Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, pushed through a 2007 spending bill that provided $37.2 billion for veterans health care - the largest budget in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Reed was able to boost veterans health care spending by $3.6 billion, and included $3.5 billion for mental health services and $44.7 million for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment.
He supported the 21st Century GI Bill, which was signed into law in June of 2008. And in an effort to make paying for school more affordable for veterans, survivors, and dependents pursuing an education in high-tech fields, Reed teamed up with Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska to introduce the Veterans and Survivors Employment and Training Act. This legislation seeks to expand education programs that are eligible for accelerated payments under the Montgomery GI Bill and provide the benefit to recipients of the Survivors' and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (SDEAP).
For years, Reed worked to secure federal funding to improve the hallowed grounds of the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter. In 2007, Senator Reed succeeded in working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide over $5.7 million to upgrade and expand the cemetery for our veterans and their spouses.
Additionally, Senator Reed has used his seat on the Banking Committee's Subcommittee on Housing to try to ensure that more veterans are able to become homeowners and take advantage of the full-range of homeownership benefits for which they are eligible. He has also secured hundreds of thousands of dollars to enhance the Rhode Island State Veterans Home in Bristol.
Recent News:
Reed Hails Passage of 21st Century G.I. Bill to Support America's Veterans
RI Veterans Cemetery Receives $5.7 Million Upgrade
Floor Statement on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill
Reed Joins Senators and Veterans to Highlight Democratic Efforts to Fund Veteran Affairs
Floor Statement Supporting Our Veterans and Military Personnel
Outside Links:
Rhode Island Department of Human Services, Division of Veterans Affairs
