Wanted to be sure you were aware of some important bills that passed the House recently, to support our heroes:

Helping homeless veterans get back on their feet. I voted in support of the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015, H.R. 474, which helps homeless veterans participate in job-training programs and empowers them with resources to better their lives as part of a long-term sustainable solution to veteran homelessness and unemployment.

Providing ID cards to any honorably discharged veteran who requests one. Currently, only retired or medically discharged veterans receive an ID card from the VA. I voted for a bill (the Veterans ID Card Act, H.R. 91) to direct the VA to provide ID cards to any honorably discharged veteran who requests one. This would allow veterans to utilize goods, services, and activities offered by public and private institutions to those who demonstrate proof of military service – without having to always carry their official DD-214 discharge papers, which can be both inconvenient and impractical.

Holding VA employees accountable. The Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act, H.R. 1038, requires the VA to keep records of all reprimands received by an employee for the entire duration of their employment at the VA. This is in contrast to the current policy, which only requires these misdemeanors to stay on the record for two years.  This gives managers a comprehensive look at the employee while hiring and requires that all employees are held to the high standards for performing their jobs effectively.

Preserving veterans’ small businesses.   Currently, small businesses owned by service disabled veterans have a “preferred status,” which helps ease some of the hurdles of starting a small business.  I voted in support of the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act, H.R. 1313, which allows the spouse of a deceased veteran with service related disability to retain that status for between three to ten years (contingent upon their spouses disability rating) in order to support the growth of the business.

Ensuring veterans can stay in their homes. I supported the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act, H.R. 1816, which exempts veterans from reporting in-home health aid benefits as part of their gross income when determining low-income housing eligibility so that they can stay in their homes while maintaining the health care they need.

Hiring our heroes. I supported the Boosting Rates of American Veteran Employment (BRAVE) Act, H.R. 1382, which prioritizes contractors who hire veterans full-time when selecting government projects through the VA.  It also holds contractors accountable — punishing those who falsify veteran employment numbers for personal gain.

Our servicemembers served our nation with honor. It is our honor to serve them now that they are safely home.