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I'm honored to represent some of the nearly 130,000 veterans living in New Hampshire, and I strongly believe that those who have served our country deserve the benefits they have earned. To that end, I have been a supporter of legislation that upholds our nation's commitment to America's veterans. I am also proud to be a member of the House Veterans Caucus and the Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus.
For information about federal and state resources available to New Hampshire veterans, please click here.
Among the issues I support to improve care for veterans include:
-- Concurrent Receipt: We owe it to our nation's veterans to ensure they have access to the best care and financial support after their service. For those brave men and women with a service-related disability, we have an additional responsibility to provide for their needs. I support measures to allow veterans to receive both their military retirement pay and their disability compensation.
-- Preserving Dignity at Military Funerals: The brave men and women who have fought and died for our country deserve the greatest dignity and respect, and their families deserve to be able to grieve in peace. In April 2011, I introduced legislation, the Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans (SERVE) Act (H.R. 1591), that will amend existing law to protect military funerals by limiting disruptions and increasing the buffer zone around services. My measure was included in a larger veterans' measure that was signed into law in August 2012 (PL 112-154).
-- Fighting for a Full-Service VA Hospital in NH: New Hampshire is the only state in the country without a full-service VA hospital (instead, New Hampshire has the Manchester VA Medical Center and five outpatient clinics). This is unacceptable and the 130,000 veterans living in the Granite State deserve to have full hospital services available to them without having to drive to Boston or White River Junction to receive the care and services they need and deserve. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of First District Congressman Frank Guinta's legislation, H.R. 1863, which would rectify this by establishing a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire or make sure that comparable services are provided by contracting with in-state hospitals.
-- National ID Card for Veterans: In my many meetings with New Hampshire's veterans' community, it was brought to my attention that veterans did not have an easy way to prove they honorably served our country. That's why I introduced legislation (H.R. 3293) to create a federally-authorized identification card that can be used in all states at commercial establishments, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies that hold special offers, discounts, or services for former armed services personnel. The card is voluntary and will not cost taxpayers any money to produce.
-- National Guard and Reserve: I am the proud cosponsor of bipartisan legislation, H.R. 1025, the Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act, that recognizes the service of members of the National Guard and Reserve by granting them status as veterans under federal law. The brave men and women of the Guard and Reserve deserve fair compensation and the same honor bestowed upon their full-time counterparts.
-- POW/MIA: I am a proud cosponsor of legislation (H.Res. 111) to establish a House Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
-- Protecting the American Flag: I am the proud cosponsor of legislation (H.J.Res.13) to propose an amendment to the Constitution that would give Congress the power to prohibit the desecration of the American flag. Our flag is a symbol of the freedom that so many Americans have fought and died for over the last 235 years and I believe it should not be desecrated.
For a complete list of the bills I am sponsoring and cosponsoring, please click here.
Related Press Releases
My measure was included in a larger veterans’ measure that was signed into law in August 2012 (PL 112-154).
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