Veterans

All of us who enjoy the benefits of living in this, the greatest of countries, must always remember that there is a reason the United States stands as a beacon of freedom throughout the world. We owe a special debt to all of you.

As a veteran, you served our country, and now my office is here to serve you. In Washington and around my district, I’ve fought to help veterans gain employment after their service, worked toward the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” protected service members from deceptive targeting by for-profit colleges, supported the Caregivers and Veterans Health Act, pushed different departments for the awarding of overdue medals of service and worked “undercover” at Rags of Honor.

In Chicago, my District Office can assist in determining if you’re eligible for benefits, communicating with Veterans Affairs, replacing medals that you earned in service, or obtaining copies of important military documents.

Rep. Quigley with veterans of World War II visiting Washington, D.C. in a recent trip with Honor Flight.

Rep. Quigley with veterans of World War II visiting Washington, D.C. in a recent trip with Honor Flight.

WHAT I’M DOING IN D.C. AND AROUND THE DISTRICT

Increasing Employment and Education

Veterans should never have to worry about finding good jobs when their service ends. That’s why I support joint efforts with the VA and Department of Labor to provide training for veterans with difficult employment circumstances and match job-seeking veterans with employers.
I am also a cosponsor of the Reducing Barriers for Veterans Education Act, which will help veterans access higher education by allowing the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill education benefit to cover college application fees.
Our district staff is proud to help veterans access their G.I. Bill benefits, which provide financial support for attending colleges, universities, trade schools and for on-the-job training, apprenticeships and flight schools.

Eliminating the VA Disability Claims Backlog

I believe it’s outrageous that veterans wait as long as six months for their disability claims to be processed, and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I supported funding to hire more claims processors and supported efforts to improve how electronic health records move between the VA and DoD.
I am also a cosponsor of the Pay as Your Rate Act, which would reform the disability claim system to allow complex claims to start being paid out while they are being processed.

Preventing Homelessness among Veterans

I support the VA Zero Homelessness Initiative, which aims to end veteran homelessness by 2015.
In the Appropriations Committee, I supported $75 million for the VA Supportive Housing Program, which provides homeless veterans with rental assistance and access to other services.

Ensuring Access to Mental Health Care

I am a cosponsor of important bills like the Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act, which would expand coverage of mental health care for all combat veterans.
I used my role on the House Appropriations Committee to secure robust funding for suicide prevention programs for veterans.

The following information is a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Please click each link for some helpful resources, or contact our district office at (773) 267-5926 for further assistance.