Veterans

I believe that we owe our veterans a tremendous debt of gratitude, and that improving benefits for our military would encourage more young Americans to enlist and serve their country.

• I strongly oppose increasing the financial burden on our veterans, and I am committed to finding the resources we need to provide our veterans with all of the benefits they are entitled to receive. The increasing number of wounded military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan is adding to the financial strain on the veterans’ health system, but thankfully advances in medical technology are keeping our seriously wounded veterans alive for longer and in far greater numbers than ever before.

• As a member of the House Appropriations Committee I worked hard in the 110th Congress to pass H.R. 6599, the Military Construction-VA Appropriations for FY2009 to ensure full funding of veterans’ benefits. The bill increases funding for VA hospitals and medical facilities to $5 billion and increases spending on construction at our bases and military installations to $11.7 billion. This legislation has the overwhelming support of my colleagues in the House, and I look forward to sending it to the President’s desk.

• During my five terms in Congress, I have supported nearly every veteran’s related bill that has come up for a vote.

During the 111th Congress, we will continue debating important veterans’ issues such as disability compensation and pensions; education benefits; homelessness; life insurance; and legal representations for veterans, and I will always do my best to show my respect and appreciation to our veterans by voting to protect their interests.

SPONSORED / COSPONSORED LEGISLATION IN THE 111th CONGRESS
H.R. 775 – Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act
H.R. 2325 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the "Laredo Veterans Post Office".
H.R.2594 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in State cemeteries.
H.Con.Res.114 - Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued to honor our Nation's disabled veterans.
H.R. 147 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their income tax payment to provide assistance to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
H.RES.225 - Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that general appropriations for military construction and veterans' affairs be considered as stand-alone measures.