America’s veterans deserve our respect and gratitude. But far too often, the system fails them. That’s why today I hosted a roundtable discussion with veterans, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and Polk County Veterans Affairs on how we can improve the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to better meet the needs of America’s veterans.
It’s clear from our discussion that more reforms are needed within the VA system and our military families need more support. I look forward to taking this feedback to Washington and working to deliver results for every Iowan. I will always stand up for our veterans in Congress!
As your Congressman, I’ve been fighting for veterans in D.C. with good old-fashioned Iowa commonsense, including championing bipartisan legislation:
- H.R. 3722, the Daniel J. Harvey and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act: This bill improves programs to help members of the Armed Forces adjust to civilian life after the military with the goal of reducing veteran suicides. I’m excited to report that this bill passed the House of Representatives unanimously in April!
- H.R. 2587, the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act: This bill expands parental leave eligibility for drilling Reserve and National Guard members to include fathers and adoptive parents to align with active-duty regulations. In a big win for parents, this bill is now law!
- H.R. 1413, the Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act: This bill requires the VA to allow Members of Congress to use their facilities in order to meet with constituents and hold office hours to help veterans navigate the federal government.
- H.R. 1822, the PLUS for Veterans Act: This bill helps safeguard veterans from fraud, abuse, and bad actors who seek to take advantage of them when they seek VA disability benefits.
- H.R. 984, the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach (CVSO) Act: This bill provides competitive grants to states to improve assistance to veterans and their families regarding veterans’ benefits and programs.
- H.R. 1228, the Major Richard Star Act: This bill prevents the reduction of veterans’ disability compensation and retired pay, or combat-related special compensation, for combat-disabled uniformed services retirees.
This is only the start. If you have an issue with the VA or need help with getting the benefits you deserve, please don’t hesitate to call my office at 515-400-8180 or visit nunn.house.gov/veterans.
