Issue Position: Caring for Our Heroic Veterans

Issue Position

Issue Position: Caring for Our Heroic Veterans

Our service men and women have willingly risked their lives to protect us. Providing our veterans with the benefits they deserve is the least we can do to give back to those who have honorably served their country. For years, particularly during my time in the Virginia Defense Force, I have listened to veterans detail the difficulties they face when attempting to obtain quality healthcare and affordable education. I believe we should guarantee medical care for all veterans, regardless of income, extent of disability, or any other set of qualifiers. We should also grant veterans the funding they need to receive a world-class education after serving in the armed forces. In addition, all of America's veterans are entitled to benefits while they are on active duty.

Our military men and women should receive all the resources they need to be self-sufficient members of society after their service. Like other uninsured Americans, veterans have considerable trouble receiving medical care and often wait too long to obtain the care they need. This makes their condition worse, and ultimately makes treatment more expensive. We should lower the possibility of veterans declaring bankruptcy, costing taxpayers significantly more than initially providing increased benefits.

Educated World War II veterans helped create economic growth and expansion, but unfortunately today's GI Bill fails to cover the increasing cost of higher education. Educating veterans would place them in higher income levels and increase the tax base. A more expansive GI Bill would allow them to seek out the American Dream once they have returned home.

I support several pieces of legislation that increase veterans' entitlements and when I am elected, will continue to fight for the benefits they deserve.

* I support the new GI Bill (S.22) sponsored by Senator Jim Webb. S.22 will provide benefits similar to the funding granted to World War II veterans by an older version of the GI Bill. That version allowed thousands of WWII vets to receive a valuable education at the institution of their choice after service to their country. In addition to tuition, S.22 provides for book allowances, additional training, and a stipend for four years.

* We must do more to address the mental health problems our young veterans are facing. Our soldiers are coming home having developed mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), that often go untreated due to a lack of government funding. CBS News reported that the number of suicides committed by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is nearly four times the average for civilians. To fully diagnose this problem, I will support legislation such as S.2899 proposed by Senator Tom Harkin that requires the VA to report the number of veteran suicides occurring each year.

* We should reduce the time it takes to receive medical compensation. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America reports that it takes an average of around six months for a claim to be processed in the massive bureaucratic structure. We must eliminate much of the red tape in order to allow veterans to receive the care they need in a more timely manner.

* I believe we should reduce the number of homeless veterans in America. The VA reported that around one-third of homeless persons in America are veterans; additionally, veterans are more likely to become homeless than many other segments of the population. As the wealthiest country in the world, we have the ability to remedy this problem. To combat homelessness resulting from unemployment, we should fully fund programs that provide skills and vocational training for veterans.

* When I am elected I will support changes to the National Defense Authorization Act that include provisions for time served to equal time home. Part of repaying our military men and women for their service to our country is ensuring adequate time at home with their families.

* I will support HR 676, a bill that provides healthcare to all Americans, including veterans. According to a 2007 study by Harvard Medical School researchers, of the 47 million uninsured Americans, one in every eight is a veteran or a member of a veteran's family. We must work towards universal healthcare that addresses the overwhelming need to cover all persons, including our veterans.

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