Veterans Affairs
“Heroism is latent in every human soul - However humble or unknown, they (the veterans) have renounced what are accounted pleasures and cheerfully undertaken all the self-denials - privations, toils, dangers, sufferings, sicknesses, mutilations, life-”
Principles
To military personnel who have served honorably and then retire or leave active duty, we owe a smooth transition to civilian life. Funding for the programs that assist them should be sufficient, timely, and predictable and never be subject to political gamesmanship.
Dan's Record
Saluting the Flag (HR3380)
H.R. 3380 was introduced by Representative Dan Boren of Oklahoma to permit members of the United States Armed Forces, and veterans, who are out of uniform to render the military salute during hoisting, lowering, or passing of the United States flag.
Current Federal law states that veterans and service members who are not in uniform should place their hand over their heart when recognizing our flag. The law is unclear whether veterans and service personnel can instead salute the flag as their uniformed counterparts are expected to do. Being a former Member of the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, I personally understand and appreciate the sacrifices our Nation’s service personnel have made and the hardships they have endured on behalf of our country. As the salute is a form of honor and respect it would be an appropriate way to not only honor our flag but honor and recognize the estimated 25 million veterans in the United States. That is why I am a proud supporter and co-sponsor of H.R. 3380.
Veterans Education and Tuition Support Act of 2007 (HR2910)
Since military action began in Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly 500,000 reservists and National Guard Members have been called to active duty. Some of those Members have been pulled directly from college campuses. While most colleges and universities refund tuition and fees to students when the activation occurs during the academic calendar, there have been reported instances where service personnel have not been reimbursed; have faced difficulties reregistering for classes after returning home after activation; and in some cases received collection notices for student loans defaulted while they were serving in the combat zones. H.R. 2910 would solve this problem by:
- Requiring colleges to refund tuition or provide future credits for service members who deploy during the semester and restore their academic status when they return;
- Extending the period of time before returning service members must either reenroll in school or face repaying their student loans; and
- Capping student loan interest rates at 6% during their deployment - a cap that already applies to all other kinds of debt.
I have always worked hard to ensure that this Nation repays the debt we owe to the fighting men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. While it is still unclear how widespread the problem truly is, allowing service members to return to their college studies right where they left off – without facing penalties for serving their country – is the right thing to do.
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