Veterans

Our nation’s veterans have provided an invaluable service to our country.

However, their unwavering dedication and bravery to defend our liberty often comes with great sacrifices. Many times, veterans require medical care and supplemental benefits.

Rep. Barletta believes we owe the men and women who served the United States of America at least that much. He has worked diligently to ensure that our veterans receive the benefits they deserve.

Rep. Barletta has supported several measures that benefit our veterans. He is a co-sponsor of H.R. 303, Retired Pay Restoration Act. This bill would enable veterans to receive both their retired pay and disability compensation. Currently, the Retired Pay Restoration Act has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and MemorialAffairs in the House Veteran Affairs Committee.

Rep. Barletta also co-sponsored H.R. 1025, which would amend Title 38 of the United States Code to recognize the service of some reservists by honoring then with the legal status of “veterans.” Right now, when members of the National Guard or the Reserves who have not yet reached age 60 retire, they are commonly known as “Gray Area Retirees” (GARs). They might not necessarily meet the statutory definition of “veterans” – despite of their service to our country. This bill passed the House – with Rep. Barletta’s support – and awaits action in the Senate.

Rep. Barletta also voted for H.R 2433, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, an overhaul of the military's Transition Assistance Program, creating a job retraining program for older veterans who have been unemployed for 26 weeks or more.

Since 1999, Congress has been considering legislation to greatly lift the financial burden on our nation’s disabled veterans. Legislators have made it a priority to aid our retired men and women who have served in America's armed forces. We are working to provide new thresholds of eligibility for our disabled military retirees to ensure they receive the appropriate support for their services.

If you would like more information about this issue, please contact my Washington, DC, office.