ContactsNewark Office Camden Office Washington, DC 
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Supporting Our Troops and VeteransAs a veteran himself, Senator Lautenberg understands the importance of treating our soldiers and their families with honor, and making sure the men and women wearing the uniform have everything they need while on the battlefield and after they return home. Taking Care of Troops in the Field After visiting troops in Iraq and being told about inadequate protections, Senator Lautenberg coauthored a law to require the Bush Administration to reimburse military families who paid for body armor for relatives fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has pushed to raise military pay and increase funding for equipment for our armed forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, veterans health care and benefits. Taking Care of our Troops at Home Senator Lautenberg was a primary author of the new 21st Century GI Bill. This bill updated and improved the original GI Bill—which has not kept pace with the rising cost of college—by giving soldiers who have served since 9/11 first-rate education benefits. Over the past few years, the Bush Administration has tried to raise healthcare fees on our military families, retirees and their beneficiaries–each time, Senator Lautenberg has written laws to stop this from happening. And a provision championed by Lautenberg is now law to provide a monthly bonus of up to $500 to troops affected by “stop loss,” a policy that involuntarily extends military service beyond an enlistment contract. Honoring the Fallen Senator Lautenberg has created a “Faces of the Fallen” display outside his Washington office to pay tribute to the thousands of men and women who have courageously sacrificed their lives while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has also made sure that the name of each fallen soldier is entered in the Congressional Record, ensuring that their service to their country is honored and remembered for years to come.
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