Veterans
We have a responsibility to care for the women and men who have served our nation in the armed forces. The people who swear an oath to defend our country do the work and make the sacrifices that keep us safe. It is their government’s duty to care for them as they transition to civilian life or if they are struggling with a visible or invisible fight.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a range of services and benefits for military veterans and eligible dependents who meet certain criteria. These benefits include medical care, disability compensation and pensions, education, vocational rehabilitation assistance to homeless veterans, administration of life insurance and traumatic injury protection insurance, and death benefits that cover burial expenses.
For more information on these and all other benefits offered by the Department, you can visit www.va.gov.
Legislative Work
I take my responsibility to our veterans seriously. That is why I have co-sponsored:
- H.R. 299,the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, to extend presumption of service and exposure to Agent Orange for veterans who served in the waters off Vietnam. This bill was passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by the President on June 25, 2019.
- H.R. 186, the Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act, to provide tax credits for military veterans who open a small business in underserved communities.
- H.R. 663, the Burn Pit Accountability Act, to direct the Department of Defense to evaluate whether servicemembers were exposed to toxic chemicals used in burn pits.
- H.R. 3867, the Violence Against Women Veterans Act, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the services and benefits that the Department offers to veterans who experience domestic violence or sexual assault.
Help for Constituent Servicemembers
I have long supported our military veterans and often meet with organizations representing former servicemembers from New Jersey. My office is always ready to assist constituents with any questions about, or requests for, assistance with the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you or someone you know wants to contact my office with questions about casework with the VA, please click here. I was honored to receive a 2019 Legislator of the Year Award from the New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars for my work on behalf of our servicemembers.
More on Veterans
Last week in Washington, the House considered remedies to veteran’s services, consumer protection, and retirement savings. I met with community groups focused on youth job training, postal services, and disaster relief in Puerto Rico. I also attended a post office dedication in Belleville and executed my Budget and Foreign Affairs Committee duties.
Each year, the creation our federal government’s annual budget is a collaboration between the Executive Branch and Congress to set the course for our nation’s priorities. Initiating the process for fiscal year (FY) 2020, President Trump released his budget request on March 11, 2019 to Congress, reflecting a compilation of his administration’s experience running our federal agencies and including their priorities for the upcoming year.
Last week in Washington, the House of Representatives voted on historic measures to overturn the President’s veto and establish pay equality for all Americans regardless of gender. I attended two hearings to question Administration officials on difference aspects of the disastrous Trump Budget, as well as chaired the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere hearing on corruption in Latin America.
Last week in Washington, I attended hearings on all three committees that I serve – Budget, Foreign Affairs, and Transportation – as well as served my first Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere hearing as the Chairman. The House of Representatives also passed legislation addressing the President’s national emergency declaration, gun control, and the future of STEM education.
Last week in Washington, my bill to reform commuter safety inspections passed the House, along with increased child care services for veterans’ families. I met with representatives of the New Jersey Education Association, the Puerto Rico Manufacturing Association, and a number of foreign delegations. I continue to work with my colleagues on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to address the crisis in Venezuela, and my colleagues and I on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met for the first time in the 116th Congress.
Last week in Washington, I cosponsored a number of bills to enhance veterans’ health, attended two Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearings which examined Russia as a counterterrorism partner and the effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act, and spoke on the floor about the dangerous effects of the Majority’s tax plan. I also met with different groups to discuss legislative priorities.
While in Washington this week, I cosponsored several pieces of legislation to assist our veterans and a bill to grow American income, discussed the role of external actors in the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, and met with the Ambassadors from Honduras and Antigua and Barbuda.
The month of August was busy as I addressed current events, cosponsored new legislation, and sent letters to the Administration urging for the protection of important policies that are essential to the wellbeing of New Jersey and the nation. As Congress returns to Washington this week, it is crucial that we work together in bipartisan cooperation to address unfinished business and pressing issues such as relief for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.