Veterans & Military

All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to our country’s bravest individuals – those who have served and given their lives in defense of freedom and liberty. The passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill reiterated a Congressional commitment to provide for the needs of the nation’s veterans and their families. As a country, we must remember the sacrifices of our veterans and their families who have bravely served our nation, and I remain committed to providing the best care possible for them and uniformed service members.

Fiscal Year 2013 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations

On May 31, 2012, the House passed H.R.5854, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2013, by a vote of 407-12.  I voted in favor of this bill. H.R. 5854 authorizes $71.7 billion in non-emergency, discretionary budget authority for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs in FY 2013, which includes $60.7 billion in discretionary funding for Veterans Affairs – $2.3 billion above last year’s levels.  The bill also authorizes $54.5 billion in advance FY 2014 appropriations for the Veterans Health Administration for medical services, medical support, and medical facilities.  The funding levels fulfill a Congressional commitment to remaining a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars in a time of historically high deficits, without compromising the services provided to our veterans.  H.R. 5854 is currently awaiting action in the Senate.

Fiscal Year 2013 Defense Appropriations

H.R.4310, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2013, which passed the House on May 18, 2012 by a vote of 299-120, authorized funding for national defense at $554 billion for the base budget and $88.5 billion in overseas contingency operations including Afghanistan.  I voted in favor of this bill. It provides our war fighters and their families with the care and support they need, deserve, and have earned; while ensuring that proposed drawdown plans do not cut to the heart of the Army and Marine Corps.  It also provides our military with the resources, and authorities it needs to win the war in Afghanistan and continue to prosecute the wider War on Terror.  The NDAA is currently awaiting action in the Senate.

Path to Prosperity

The Path to Prosperity budget passed the House on March 29, 2012. The resolution reaffirms a commitment to the men and women in uniform and ensures that national security remains the government’s top priority.  The budget rejects proposals to make across-the-board cuts in funding for national defense, and provides $554 billion for national defense spending in FY 2013, an amount consistent with America’s military goals and strategies.

The defense budget is currently slated to be cut by $55 billion, or 10 percent, in January of 2013 through the sequester mechanism enacted as part of the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011. This reduction would be in addition to the $487 billion in cuts over ten years proposed in President Obama’s budget. The Path to Prosperity acknowledges that defense spending needs to be executed with effectiveness and accountability; however, government should take care to ensure that spending is prioritized according to the nation’s needs, rather than treated indiscriminately with regard to cuts. Moreover, the House-passed budget fully funds the President’s budget request for veterans, and actually exceeds the President’s request over ten years with respect to funding for discretionary and mandatory accounts for veterans programs.  The Path to Prosperity recognizes the sacrifices that veterans and their families have made to ensure the continued security of our nation, and provides funding to afford the best care possible that veterans have bravely earned.

In May 2012, I introduced H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, to provide mandatory spending reductions in order to replace automatic cuts to discretionary spending (primarily from defense accounts) in 2013 under the BCA and to reduce the deficit.  To reaffirm the commitment to our nation’s veterans and make good on sacred promises to care for their health and well-being, H.R. 5652 included a provision removing veterans’ medical care from the accounts subject to sequester under the BCA to ensure these accounts remain fully funded.  The bill passed the House by a vote of 218 – 199 on May 10, 2012.

I also cosponsored H.R. 5872, the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012, which passed in the House with my support by a vote of 414-2 on July 18, 2012.  The Sequestration Transparency Act requires President Obama to detail how the administration plans to implement the budget sequestration cuts scheduled to take place in January 2013 under current law.  The arbitrary, across-the-board sequester cuts would have a devastating impact on our national security and key domestic priorities. That is why Republicans in the House passed H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, to replace the across-the-board cuts under sequestration with common-sense reforms and spending reductions.  As H.R. 5652 is still awaiting action in the Senate, the House passed H.R. 5872 because the American people deserve answers from the Obama Administration on how it will implement these deep reductions called for under the sequestration process and what steps will be taken to address these concerns.  The Sequestration Transparency Act was unanimously approved by the Senate on July 25, 2012 and is awaiting President Obama’s signature. 

Homes for Heroes Act

Acknowledging the difficulties that veterans face with regard to securing adequate housing, Representative Al Green introduced H.R.3298, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2011. The bill establishes a position within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) responsible for ensuring veterans fair access to HUD housing and homeless assistance programs, coordinating HUD programs and activities related to veterans and serving as a HUD liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill passed on March 27, 2012 with my support by a vote of 414 – 5. It has been received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs where it awaits debate.

World War II Prisoners of War (POWs)

Throughout the course of World War II, American POWs were mistreated by the Japanese. In September 2010, Japan officially acknowledged and apologized for repeated violations of the Geneva Convention. Janesville was the home of Company A of the 192^nd Tank Battalion, which fought in Bataan during the Battle of the Philippines. Following their surrender, soldiers were forced to march to San Fernando as involuntary participants of the infamous Bataan Death March.

On June 24, 2011, Representative Michael Honda (CA) a introduced House Resolution 333, which commends the Government of Japan for extending an official apology to former United States Pacific War POWs, and establishes a visitation program to Japan for surviving veterans, family members and descendents. After discussing the legislation further with my employers – specifically veterans from the First District – I agreed to co-sponsor this legislation. On August 2, 2011, the bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific within the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Veterans’ Firearms Heritage Act

During World War II and the Korean War, many veterans lawfully acquired souvenir firearms, many of which are still in their possession today. Under current law, however, should the firearms be unregistered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, veterans may be convicted of illegal possession. Following the Gun Control Act of 1968, veterans were given thirty days to register relic firearms; nonetheless, many remain unregistered, and these veterans therefore remain subject to prosecution.

On January 25, 2011, Representative Denny Rehberg (MT) introduced the Veteran’s Firearms Heritage Act. This legislation would provide limited amnesty for veterans who served between June 26, 1934 and October 31, 1968 to register firearms without fear of prosecution. Amnesty would also extend to lawful heirs that have inherited the firearms. I am a co-sponsor of this legislation, and remain committed to ensuring that veterans are given the opportunity to lawfully register the firearms that they obtained as a result of their service.

Supporting our Veterans

The brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have served our country have made tremendous sacrifices on behalf of this nation. While streamlining Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs budgets is critical to the fiscal wellbeing of our nation, Congress must not lose sight of the promises that it has made to our troops, our veterans at home, and the families of all those who serve. Our troops overseas must be provided with the tools they need to complete their mission and return to their families as quickly and as safely as possible. Further, we must also work to ensure that our veterans and their families receive the care and services they need in a timely, convenient and efficient manner. I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue to ensure that these goals are met.

Additional Information