Join Me at My Women Veterans Fair

We must always honor and help the soldiers, veterans, and their families who sacrifice so much for this country. No matter our views on specific policies or wars, I think we can all agree those who risk their lives for this country should be given access to quality veterans’ benefits, health care, and job opportunities. I have met brave men and women in uniform throughout my district, during multiple visits to Travis Air Force Base and recent Memorial Day Services. One theme that recurs with frequency is the variety of unique challenges female soldiers face in the field and upon their return home. 

To help the female veterans throughout our region, I will join Congressman George Miller and Congressman Jerry McNerney in hosting a Women Veterans Fair on Saturday, July 10th, from 10 am to 2 pm at Los Medanos College Cafeteria located at 2700 East Leland Road in Pittsburg. We will be joined by the Director of the Center for Women Veterans, Dr. Irene Trowell-Harris. Dr. Trowell-Harris served for 38 years in the Air Force and Air National guard, retired as a Major General and has been the working with the Veterans Affairs department for years, gaining invaluable knowledge of the system. 
 
This fair is intended to help our women veterans learn about the many benefits available to them. We will have in-depth talks about employment for veterans, resources for counseling, filing claims, and accessing all available benefits for women. It will also be an excellent chance to network, interact and ask questions to fellow veterans, families, and support staff. Please RSVP by calling 925-602-1880, or by email at elise.amaya@mail.house.gov. I encourage all women veterans to come and learn about how they can receive all the benefits and care they fully deserve.

Our veterans exemplify hard work and commitment, and I am dedicated to providing them with the assistance they need to thrive after all of their sacrifices. I work on the Armed Services committee where I can help our soldiers while they are still serving, and I will continue finding ways to provide the best benefits for those that served. In Congress I have supported several bills increasing veterans’ assistance such as the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which would greatly expand the amount of health and housing services available to veterans. It also helped women, giving them new benefits including care for their newborn children and better treatment for sexual trauma, neither of which they received before.

Numerous other bills have passed the House that will provide better medical services and improved resources for our nation’s homeless and jobless veterans and I hope the Senate acts on them soon. Congress and the President also recently passed the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, supporting expanded education and employment opportunities for veterans and the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act which provided $1.4 billion to the Veterans’ Affairs departments, allowing them to improve existing medical facilities and build new ones, process more claims, and in general to help our veterans through tough economic times. These fantastic bills will provide vital services for our veterans.

However all of our work would be useless unless veterans have knowledge and access to these benefits. That’s why I encourage all women veterans to attend our Women Veterans Conference on July 10th.