Congressman Pete King

Veterans/Military Personnel

Our country can never repay the debt which we owe to our nation’s veterans and current active duty military personnel. These are the Americans who answered the call to duty and put their lives on the line to preserve our nation’s freedoms.

As your Congressman I have consistently voted to increase benefits to our veterans and to make sure that today’s military receives the very best equipment, weaponry and training. That is why I make it a point to visit our troops overseas and vote to expand education benefits, provide vocational training and make housing more affordable to returning veterans.

The scheduled threat of more devastating defense budget cuts (known as “sequestration”) directly affects members of the military, veterans, and the already fragile economy. $487 billion in cuts have already been implemented. An additional $492 billion in cuts are scheduled to occur. This would have disastrous consequences for active duty personnel, veterans, national security and the economy.

If these cuts occur, America’s armed forces will be reduced by an additional 100,000 personnel leaving America with its smallest ground force since 1940, its smallest fleet since 1915 and its smallest tactical fighter force in the history of the Air Force. As a result of massively decreased military procurements one million private sector jobs will be lost nationwide. 42,100 of those jobs will belong to New Yorkers. All of this would be happening while American forces remain in combat and at precisely the moment when advanced military technology is spreading around the globe. We need to rebuild our armed forces after their courageous service in Iraq and their continued service in Afghanistan, not gut their capability to respond to a future crisis. These cuts are a recipe for disaster. That is why I support the Down Payment to Protect National Security Act, H.R. 3662, which would avert the additional $492 billion in cuts.

Congress needs to address this issue now because just the threat of these cuts is weakening our economy and national security. The Pentagon is unable to develop meaningful strategies and plan for the future because it does not know what resources will be available for our nation’s defense.

I have attempted to stop these massive cuts and other cuts included in the President's budget by voting for the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013, which limits troop reductions and preserves funding for military equipment.

Since coming to Congress in 1993, I have sponsored legislation to establish a committee on POW/MIA Affairs, introduced the Returning Soldiers’ Bill of Rights, supported the Long Island State Veterans Home, voted for veterans housing benefits, voted to keep TRICARE costs low and voted for a tax deduction on TRICARE benefits. In addition I was instrumental in keeping the Manhattan VA open and in stopping the Department of Veterans’ Affairs from alluring private development at the St. Albans VA Community Living Center campus.

Based on my support of veterans’ legislation, I was recently awarded an ‘A’ on the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s report card. One of these bills was the Veterans' Disability Claims Efficiency Act (H.R. 2053). This bill would create a fast-track system within the Department of Veterans Affairs to quickly grant initial disability ratings to veterans with straightforward claims. Currently there is a backlog of 900,000 claims awaiting rating decisions and the average time to approve a rating exceeding 4 months. In 2013 the backlog is anticipated to jump to at least 1.25 million claims. H.R. 2053 would speed up this process and go a long way to potentially reduce the claims backlog.

As you may know, the Post 9/11 GI bill came into law on June 30, 2008 and expanded educational benefits for military veterans. Some of those benefits need further adjusting, which is why I support the National Guard and Reserve Equality in Education Act (H.R. 3349). H.R. 3349 which will make it easier for Guardsmen and Reservists who can’t physically attend classes to receive credit for graduate school courses which they take online.

In today’s tough economy, our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are struggling more than ever to find jobs. That is why I have introduced the Jobs for Veterans Act, H.R. 1312, to give employers incentives to hire returning soldiers – a win-win solution for veterans and business owners. I also support H.R. 2433 which makes specific improvements to existing laws relating to the employment and training of veterans.

Besides joblessness, recent veterans face housing issues as well. I am working to gain adequate funding at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure veterans get access to affordable housing and the support network they need. National Guardsmen receive an unfair Basic Allowance for Housing when they transition between full-time duty to active duty or vice versa, without a break in service, because their benefits are re-calculated. This re-calculation almost always means the Guardsmen must involuntarily make an additional financial sacrifice. In order to alleviate this inequity, I am supporting H.R. 2733 which would prohibit this reduction in BAH when Army or Air Guardsmen transition without a break in active service.

Another problem facing veterans and active military is mental health issues. Traumatic brain injury is one of the major causes of PTSD among these men and women. That is why I support H.R. 2751, the Joining Forces for Military Mental Health Act, which creates a pilot program on enhancements of Department of Defense efforts on mental health in the National Guard and Reserves through community partnerships. Improving rehabilitation services is also key to ensuring soldiers suffering from TBI get the help they need. Veterans’ Traumatic Brian Injury Rehabilitation Services Improvement Act, H.R. 1855, does just that and with my support, I am confident those enduring these ailments will be cared for properly.