|
Washington DC Office:
2263 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Ph.: 202-225-5161
Fax: 202-225-5163
District Offices:
Marin Office:
1050 Northgate Drive
Suite 354
San Rafael, CA. 94903
Ph.: 415-507-9554
Fax: 415-507-9601
Sonoma Office:
1101 College Avenue
Suite 200
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Ph.: 707-542-7182
Fax: 707-542-2745
|
 | | |
| Veterans | | | |
| FIGHTING FOR OUR MILITARY RETIREES
Our nation bears a solemn obligation to the millions of men and women who have selflessly heeded the call to duty and have bravely fought for our nation. No matter their rank, branch, or age, every American who has worn our nation’s uniform deserves our support not only when they’re deployed in harms way, but in the months, years, and decades that follow their service.
Taking care of our service members also means standing with all of the military families who bear the brunt of deployments and time spent apart from their loved ones. Last Congress I introduced H.R. 3481, the Support for Injured Servicemembers Act, which amended the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide military family members six months of unpaid leave from their jobs to care for injured service members. If their family member is wounded in defense of our nation, the last thing these men and women should have to worry about is losing their job in order to care for them. I am proud that my proposal was signed into law in January 2008, and became the first-ever expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act in its 15-year history.
Last Congress I also introduced H.R. 508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act, which would have guaranteed that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) receive the funding they need each year by treating it an entitlement. This would have ensured that the department, which has had to repeatedly ask Congress for extra funding in recent years, would have the resources to provide the broad physical and mental healthcare for the growing number of veterans. Our veterans should never have to fight to receive the care that they have earned, and under my proposal they never would.
In recent years I have also supported legislation in Congress to increase funding for the VA, including the Fiscal Year 2009 Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill, which increased the department’s budget to nearly $73 billion. This funding has been used to repair veteran’s healthcare facilities, add more than 2,100 new disability claims processors, and provide new resources to help meet the physical and mental health needs of our returning veterans.
I also continue to oppose increases in fees and deductibles for veterans and their families participating in the TRICARE health program. Recently proposed increases are unacceptable and will create a significant hardship for military retirees and their families. I have supported legislation to prevent such fee increases because our government should be working to improve TRICARE coverage, not forcing an even greater financial burden on our nation’s veterans.
Many of our veterans forfeited the pursuit of higher education in order to serve our country, and we must reward their sacrifice. That’s why I cosponsored H.R. 5470, the ‘GI Bill for the 21st Century,’ which provided service members with four years of educational assistance and benefits, including a monthly stipend, room and board, and other help to help cover costs associated with school. This legislation also allows unused education benefits to be transferred to spouses and children.
You can count on me to continue fighting for better benefits for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. They have stood by us in harm’s way, now it’s our turn to stand by them.
(updated March 2009) |
|
|
