We all can agree veterans deserve the best care. As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I have had the distinct pleasure to work across the aisle to get major pieces of legislation passed.  

I was one of the few members to successfully pass legislation out of Congress and signed into law by the President last year. The Korean American VALOR Act allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to forge a reciprocal agreement with the Republic of Korea to grant healthcare access to veterans who served alongside the U.S. in the Vietnam War. 

Additionally, this year we celebrated a momentous milestone – 1,000,000 veterans that have been granted benefits thanks to my Honoring our PACT Act. The PACT Act takes the burden off of veterans to prove that their illnesses are service related and expands the list of illnesses presumed to be connected to their service. Learn how to start your PACT Act claim today. 

Just last week, I joined Assistant Democratic Leader, Joe Neguse, and my colleagues from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs to remind veterans and their survivors about a critical deadline. Those who submitted Intent To File forms have 365 days to submit completed claims, so please ensure fellow community members do not neglect to pursue their backdated benefits.