The Issues
Veterans
Our nation is truly blessed by the bravery, dedication and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. In Congress, we must do everything in our power to honor the service of our veterans by upholding a solemn promise: just as the military pledges to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we must leave no veteran behind when they return home.
Under the last Democratic Congress, we enacted the landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill and made unprecedented investments in veterans’ access to health care, research, education, and economic opportunities. But now, the Trump Administration wants to severely diminish vital initiatives our veterans and their families rely on – while lending credence to a radical campaign to end the VA’s indispensable role as the chief provider of care for veterans.
Democrats believe we cannot rest until no veteran goes homeless and every veteran has access to timely, world-class health care, swift and transparent action on disability claims, and the good-paying jobs and support they and their families need to thrive as they transition into civilian life.
What Democrats Are Doing
More must be done to deliver upon our nation’s promises to the heroes who wear the uniform. The courage and excellence of our veterans deserve our unyielding dedication, and that’s why House Democrats are championing efforts to:
- Increase Access to Timely, Quality Health Care: House Democrats will continue to fight damaging Medicaid cuts for the nearly 2 million veterans who rely on it and oppose Republicans’ destructive efforts to divert care and resources outside of the VA. By securing the investments and infrastructure that build the VA up, not tear it down, we will ensure that no veteran waits days on end just to see a physician or a mental health provider.
- Eliminate the VA Claims Backlog: House Democrats authored key reforms to address the disability claims backlog, and led efforts to overhaul the appeals process. We will never stop fighting to ensure every veteran gets the prompt and full benefits they deserve.
- Hold the Trump Administration Accountable: Whether it’s budget shortfalls, protecting whistleblowers or removing poorly-performing managers—House Democrats will continue to hold the Trump Administration accountable. We must also uphold our responsibility to protect the thousands of dedicated frontline VA employees, many of them veterans themselves, who are making a difference for our heroes every day.
- Help Veterans Thrive: House Democrats will work relentlessly to strengthen and expand veterans’ access to the training, education and good-paying jobs they deserve after their service to our nation. We must do more to ease the transition to civilian life, and ensure that every veteran is equipped with the tools to thrive.
- End Veteran Homelessness: We will continue to invest in and strengthen the critical wrap-around services that work with state and local providers to give veterans and their families the tools they need to find economic stability and break the cycle of homelessness.
- Strengthen Veterans’ Caregivers Support: Our nation’s 5.5 million caregivers are hidden heroes in the work to protect the health and well-being of our nation’s veterans. Democrats will always fight to get them recognition, support and services they need and deserve.
- Support Women Veterans: Women are the fastest growing group within the veteran population. House Democrats are working to close the VA’s gap in gender disparities and care by ensuring that every woman veteran who walks into a VA facility receives equitable, quality care.
Democrats take pride in a record of historic investments and benefits for America’s veterans under our leadership. During the last Democratic Congress, Democrats:
- Passed the largest increase in veterans funding in history;
- Enacted the Post 9/11 GI Bill – restoring the promise of a full, four-year scholarship for our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and making it transferable to their spouses and children;
- Quadrupled the travel reimbursement for veterans traveling to receive care.
House Democrats will continue fighting to ensure our nation honors its solemn promise to our veterans.