Veterans
The largest population of veterans reside in our Third District of New Jersey. Their issues play a key role in my efforts in Congress. I'm proud and honored to represent them.
New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District is home to more than 65,000 veterans and their families. I am privileged to serve on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and as Chairman of the VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, which oversees and has investigative jurisdiction over a broad range of issues impacting veterans’ compensation, pension benefits, and cemeteries. As a member of this important committee I am committed to improving the benefits and services for our nation’s veterans. In this 112th Congress my work on behalf of veterans has included:
- Spearheaded bipartisan legislation (H.R.1441) to end the unofficial system of reserved gravesites for VIPs at Arlington National Cemetery, which passed the House unanimously as part of a larger, bill (H.R.1627);
- Co-authored a bipartisan amendment with Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) to dedicate $20 million to veteran suicide prevention outreach efforts, which passed the House by voice vote;
- Convened two veterans expos in Burlington and Ocean Counties to provide veterans with the latest information on the programs, services and benefits available to them from Veterans Service Organizations and regional medical facilities;
- Introduced H.R. 1407 to provide a cost of living increase for veteran’s disability benefits, which passed the House on Mary 23rd; and
- Introduced bi-partisan legislation that would authorize the Gold Star Mothers National Monument Foundation to build a Gold Star Mothers National Monument on federal lands within the District of Columbia.