8 New Bills Passed To Support Veterans

Those who put on the uniform in defense of our country make a selfless choice to dedicate their lives to something bigger than themselves – and they do it without asking for anything in return. But that has never stopped me from doing everything in my power to ensure Congress steps up to serve those who served us.

The good news is that the House of Representatives came together this week to pass eight new pieces of legislation to support veterans in Eastern Washington, including:

• The Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act to actively recruit medical personnel to work in federal health care departments like the VA;
• The VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act to increase transparency around the cost of the new EHR system so there is oversight of how your taxpayer dollars are spent on this project;
• The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act to improve our research on burn pits and ensure we are working to improve the lives of every veteran that may have been exposed;
• The Protecting Moms Who Served Act to provide maternal health services and support for moms who have served; 
• The Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act to make counseling and mental health support available to student veterans who may be struggling with their transition out of the military;
• The Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act to expand in-state tuition eligibility for families of veterans who die from service-connected disabilities;
• The Protections for Student Veterans to ensure servicemembers using VA education benefits can continue their education without penalty if they are called to serve; and
• The BRAVE Act to connect transitioning servicemembers to apprenticeship programs that can help ease the return to civilian life. 

Whether it’s rolling out the red carpet at VA medical centers, expanding educational benefits, improving mental health services, or creating new business opportunities, we owe it to our veterans to help them live out the American Dream. My hope is that these bills help us take a small step towards achieving that mission.

Click here to read more about my work to serve Eastern Washington veterans.