Veterans Services
As an Army veteran and a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, Congressman Rooney is dedicated to ensuring our service members and veterans receive the benefits they have earned and deserve.
Congressman Rooney has been a tireless advocate bringing awareness to the growing number of troops and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, and other invisible wounds. He has worked to improve mental health services, increase funding for treatment, and expand access to licensed mental health professionals for TRICARE beneficiaries. He has stood firm against increases in TRICARE fees for veterans and military families, and has worked across the aisle to combat veteran homelessness.
One of Congressman Rooney’s top priorities for improving services for America’s veterans reducing the disability claims backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Despite more than four years of promises from the Obama Administration to eliminate the backlog, the situation has only grown worse. The number of unprocessed claims will soon reach one million, and nearly all claims are still processed on paper, rather than online. Congressman Rooney firmly believes this is unacceptable. He helped lead a bipartisan group of veterans in Congress in writing a letter to President Obama urging him to take immediate action to reduce the backlog and improve VA services.
Congressman Rooney firmly believes we have a moral obligation to care for those who served. He will continue holding the VA accountable for providing the very best services possible for our returning war fighters, their families and veterans.
If you are a veteran and you need assistance with you benefits, please contact our office or visit some of the links below.
Helpful links for Veterans and Families
- Veteran ID Cards: What your options are now and in the future
- Who can I call to get help with Choice Program billing issues?
- How can I contact the Department of Veterans Affairs?
- How can I get education benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill?
- How can I get medical benefits?
- How can I get information on suicide prevention?
- How can I get a home loan?
- How can I get life insurance?
- How can I get vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits?
- How can I get survivor benefits?
- What drug benefits are available?
- How can I get a copy of my military records?
- How can I apply for a medal, award, or decoration that I earned while in the service?
- What other services are available to me?
Veterans' facilities in and around the 17th district
- Port Charlotte VA Primary Care Clinic
- Sarasota VA Primary Care Clinic
- Sarasota Vet Center
- Fort Myers OPC
- Ft. Myers Vet Center
- Okeechobee CBOC
- Bay Pines 3A Southeast Regional Offices
- Lake City VAMC NF/SGVHS Lake City FL VAMC
- West Palm Beach VAMC West Palm Beach FL VAMC
- Viera OPC Viera FL OPC
- Bradenton Community-Based Outpatient Clinic Bradenton FL CBOC
- Lakeland CBOC Lakeland FL CBOC
- Port Charlotte Community-Based Outpatient Clinic Port Charlotte FL CBOC
- Sebring Community-Based Outpatient Clinic Sebring FL CBOC