Braley Hosts Field Hearing on Veterans Job Creation in Waterloo
Veterans' Affairs
Congressman Braley addresses veterans from the Quad Cities Honor Flight at the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.
Our veterans have made a great sacrifice in their service to our country, and I believe they deserve the best healthcare and highest quality services that our VA can provide. As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I’m working hard in Congress to hold the Veterans Administration accountable, ensure that our veterans have the best healthcare they possibly can, and ensure the VA is equipped to respond in an efficient and timely manner to the many needs of our veterans.
Fighting for Veterans Employment
As the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the Veterans Affairs Committee, I’m committed to improving employment and education opportunities for Veterans. I've introduced the Combat Veterans Back to Work Act to provide a payroll tax exemption to employers who hire unemployed veterans, Guardsmen, and Reservists recently returned from a deployment.
Securing Benefits for Iowa National Guard Veterans
After being short-changed on respite time between deployments, I led the effort to change the law so that members of the National Guard- including 648 Iowa Guardsmen- received payment of $200 per day for their Post-Deployment/Mobilization Absence benefit.
When an error in their orders prevented Iowa National Guard Troops from receiving GI Bill Benefits, I stood up to the Pentagon to secure GI Bill Benefits for 3,548 members of the Iowa National Guard.
Improving Veterans’ Access to Quality Healthcare
I have introduced the Veterans Access to Care Act to classify VA facilities and State Veterans Homes as Health Professional Shortage Areas, allowing them to compete for National Health Service Corps fellows and creating more incentive for high-performing medical students to serve America’s veterans.
This legislation will allow veterans’ healthcare facilities to hire from a top-notch pool of medical talent committed to practicing in the public interest. This will improve veterans’ quality of care by encouraging the nation’s best and brightest young doctors to work in veterans’ healthcare facilities.
Fighting for Injured and Disabled Veterans
Many veterans face severe injuries and have special needs after they return from combat. Earlier this year, I introduced a bill to help injured and disabled veterans retrofit their homes after they return from combat. The Andrew Connolly Veterans’ Housing Act is named after Andrew Connolly of Dubuque – who returned from Iraq with a tumor in his spine and was restricted to a wheelchair. Connolly was able to get a grant to move into a home that allowed him to get around in a wheelchair. The bill passed as part of a larger legislative package and is currently in the Senate awaiting passage.
Andrew Connolly testified before the Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee earlier this year.
Connolly passed away August 30, 2011. On Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 in Dubuque, volunteers gathered to observe the first ever Andrew Connolly Day of Service to honor the legacy of Dubuque native and Iowa National Guard veteran Andrew Connolly, who never stopped urging others to "pay it forward" in every aspect of their lives.