Veterans

I believe that we have a solemn responsibility to those who have risked their lives in defense of the United States. These men and women deserve our respect and our support.

I support legislative initiatives to improve the care and benefits available to our veterans, and I am a leader in the fight against chained CPI which would reduce veterans’ benefits. I am committed to making sure that the Veterans Administration has the resources it needs to carry out its mission to effectively and efficiently care for our veterans and I have linked a series of resources below that I hope will ensure that veterans and their families in the 9th Congressional District can access the services they need and the most relevant information impacting them and their families.

If you have questions that are not answered by the content provided below, please do not hesitate to contact my office, and my staff will be happy to assist you.  If you have any suggestions about resources or information that you’d like to see included on this page, I would love to hear from you!

Resources for Veterans

• Veterans Crisis Line – 1-800-273-8255 (press option #1)
• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans – 1-877-424-3838
• Veterans Services Benefits Booklet (Online Edition)
• List of VA Locations in Illinois
• VA Benefits Forms
• VA Center for Women Veterans
• VA Pension Information
• VA Prescription (Rx) Refills
• VA PTSD Resources
• VA Survivors Benefits
• VetCentral (Helping Veterans Find Jobs)
• Voter Assistance for Veterans
• Further Resources from the House Committee on Veterans Affairs

Outside Resources

• Veterans Support Legal Clinic at the John Marshall Law School

Legislation I Support that Impacts Veterans

• H.R. 32, the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, a bill that would prevent surviving spouses from losing the Survivor Pension Benefit annuity – the so-called “Widow’s Tax.”
• H.R. 288, CHAMPVA Children’s Protection Act, a bill that would increase the maximum age of eligibility from 23 to 26 for certain dependent children of veterans for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).
• H.R. 543, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, a bill that would include Vietnam’s territorial seas for the purpose of presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans of certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam.
• H.R. 562, the VRAP Extension Act of 2013, a bill that would extend the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program through June 30, 2014.
• H.R. 595, the Veterans Education Equity Act, a bill that would equalize funding available under the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill for veterans enrolled in public and private colleges.
• H.R. 679, Honor America’s Guard-Reserve Retirees Act, a bill that would honor any person entitled to retired pay for non-regular (reserve) service as a veteran (or any person who would otherwise be entitled but is not because of age).
• H.R. 683, the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act, a bill that would ensure that if veterans have a spouse of the same-sex, they will be afforded the same benefits as heterosexual spouses.
• H.R. 813, Putting Veterans Funding First Act, a bill that would require Congress to fully fund the VA’s discretionary budget a year ahead of schedule – ensuring that VA services have timely and predictable funding.
• H.R. 1333, the Military Family Leave Act of 2013, a bill that entitles close family of military personnel notified of impending active duty two weeks of unpaid leave.
• H.R. 1729, the Claims, Operations, and Records Efficiency Act, a bill requiring the Department of Defense to provide complete, electronic records to the Department of Veterans Affairs within 21 days’ time.
• H.R. 1769, the Troop Talent Act, a bill that would allow veterans to receive civilian licenses and certifications from training and experience received while in the military by improving the way that specialty skills in the military align with civilian certification or licensing requirements.
• H.R. 1842, the Military Family Home Protection Act, a bill that would strengthen foreclosure protections for service members, surviving spouses and disabled veterans.
• H.R. 1855, the Filipino Veterans Promise Act, a bill that would require the government to take steps to open the Missouri List – the list compiled after World War II used by the military to verify Filipino soldiers who served alongside US forces – to allow surviving Filipino vets who are not on that list to take steps to prove their service.
• H.R. 2527, a bill recently passed by the House of Representatives that would provide veterans with access to counseling and treatment for sexual trauma that occurred during inactive duty training.
• H.R. 2797, the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund Act of 2013, a bill that would assist homeless veterans by creating the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund and facilitate voluntary contributions on federal tax returns.

Recent Developments

• Highlights of the President’s FY2015 Budget Request for Veterans Administration