Veterans
During his second inaugural address, President Lincoln instructed the country, “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” I believe our nation has an obligation to care for our brave soldiers who were injured during battle and to provide for the families of those who gave their lives in service to their country.
I strongly oppose imposing any new fee on our veterans, and I am committed to finding the resources we need to provide them with all of the benefits they are entitled to receive. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee I worked hard to pass H.R. 6599, the Military Construction-VA Appropriations for FY2010 to ensure full funding of veterans’ benefits. The bill increases funding for VA hospitals and medical facilities and increases spending on construction at our bases and military installations.
During my five terms in Congress, I have supported nearly every veteran’s related bill that has come up for a vote. In this Congress, we will continue debating important veterans’ issues such as disability compensation and pensions; education benefits; homelessness; life insurance; and legal representations for veterans, and I will always do my best to show my respect and appreciation to our veterans by voting to protect their interests.
I have supported the following legislation in the 111th Congress:
• H.R. 775 – Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act – eliminates unnecessary provisions for the spouses of veterans who are entitled to retired military pay.
• H.R. 2325 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 Matamoros Street in Laredo, Texas, as the “Laredo Veterans Post Office”.
• H.R.2594 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in State cemeteries.
• H.Con.Res.114 – Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued to honor our Nation’s disabled veterans.
• H.R. 147 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their income tax payment to provide assistance to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
• H.RES.225 – Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that general appropriations for military construction and veterans’ affairs be considered as stand-alone measures.
