No Wrong Door for Veterans Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bost for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1969, the No Wrong Door for Veterans Act. As an Army veteran of 24 years, a physician, and a Member of Congress, I have seen the toll that service can take on our veterans, not just physically but mentally and emotionally. I have heard from too many who feel forgotten once they have taken off the uniform.

While I respect my colleague's comments from the other side of the aisle, to ask for data for metrics and for outcomes but not to provide a tool for these grantees seems to be the wrong path to take.

Mr. Speaker, 17 veterans die by suicide every single day. That number should shake this Chamber. It is a national tragedy and a moral call to action. This bill reauthorizes and strengthens the VA's Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, one of the most effective tools we have to get local, trusted organizations the funding they need to help struggling veterans.

In Iowa, I have seen incredible work being done by people like Shane Sawyer, an Air Force special operations combat veteran who helps lead the Quad Cities Veterans Network. He brings veterans together, not just to socialize but to survive, to reconnect with the tribe they lost, to rediscover their identity, and to talk to people who understand what they have been through.

His work saves lives. It is that simple. This bill helps him and thousands like him do even more. It also includes my Veterans SPORT Act, which ensures veterans can access adaptive prosthetics for sports and physical activity.

Recovery isn't just about prescriptions. It is about purpose. Whether it is walking a golf course or playing a team sport, these activities can be the difference between isolation and hope.

Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to our veterans. This bill is about keeping it. It ensures no veteran falls through the cracks. No door should be the wrong door when a veteran is in crisis. No door should be the wrong door when it comes to making our veterans whole.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1969. Let's do the right thing by those who put everything on the line for us.

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