We, as Americans, must remember those who have sacrificed in honor of our American principles. These are the veterans of our wars, past, present and future -- they are the ones who have stood guard over the principles that have created this great nation. And it is in their memory and names that we must commit to ourselves that we will never forget their sacrifices, that we will not allow their blood to have been shed in vain and that we will, every day, act in accordance with those principles that they fought for. We must always pay tribute to those who have made our nation great, strong, and most importantly – free.
Actions
I am a Member of the Congressional Veteran’s Jobs Caucus and the House Veteran’s Mental Health Caucus.
I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1994, the VA Accountability Act, which would give the VA authority to remove or demote any VA employee based on performance or misconduct. The employee would have the right to an expedited appeal before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) within seven days of removal or demotion, and the MSPB would be required to make a final decision within 45 days of the appeal. H.R. 1994 would also increase whistleblower protections for employees who submit a whistleblower complaint. This legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 256-170 on July 29, 2015, and awaits Senate action.
I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3216, the Veterans Emergency Treatment (VET) Act, which would require VA hospitals to comply with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).
I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1475, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act, which would authorize a Wall of Remembrance listing the names of all Americans killed in action during the Korean War.
I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2123, the Enhancing Veteran’s Access to Treatment Act, which would require the VA’s drug formulary to match DoD’s to ensure that veterans moving from DoD healthcare to VA healthcare are not forced off of successful medications simply because the VA does not utilize the DoD drug.
I am a cosponsor of H.R. 22, the Hire More Heroes Act, which would allow employers to exempt employees with health coverage under TRICARE or the VA from being counted as part of the 50 full-time employee threshold under the Obamacare employer mandate. This legislation was signed into law in July 2015.
I am a cosponsor of H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act, which enacts full concurrent receipt for America’s disabled military retirees.
I have cosponsored H.R.271, the Creating Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) Act, which would examine the VA’s current mental health delivery system to ensure that veterans who experience mental health problems receive the most effective care.
I am a cosponsor of legislation (H.R. 577) to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use existing authorities to furnish health care at non-Department of Veterans Affairs facilities to veterans who live more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest medical facility of the Department that furnishes the care sought by the veteran.
I voted in support of H.R. 3230, the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, which seeks to address the substantial delay in service experienced by veterans across the nation. Under the legislation, if a veteran cannot get an appointment at their local VA facility in a timely manner, or lives more than 40 miles away from the nearest VA medical facility, they can seek private health care. H.R. 3230 would allow the VA to fire senior employees for poor performance or misconduct and would prohibit these individuals from receiving pay or bonuses during the appeals process. It also establishes a Commission on Access to Care to examine veteran's access to care and how to best deliver care over the next 20 years. This bipartisan legislation was signed into law on August 7, 2014.
Veterans History Project
The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. This project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. If you are interested in learning more, or if you would like to share your story, please click here.
