Dear John,

Today, for their willingness to protect our nation, we honor our brave veterans and servicemembers.  

Signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, I joined my colleagues in passing the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, also known as H.R. 3967 Honoring our Pact Act of 2022. The PACT Act represents the most significant expansion of services for toxic-exposed veterans in over 30 years. The bill aims to address health care, presumption of service-connection, research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The act extends the eligibility period for veteran hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care, including for those who did not enroll, making health care available to more than 3.5 million veterans.

In 2023, I introduced the Caring for Survivors Act, a bill which would reduce the time frame a veteran must be disabled to qualify, allowing more survivors to become eligible for benefits. The Caring for Survivors Act would increase the monthly rate of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs, also increasing the monthly benefits for survivors of servicemembers who die in the line of duty or from service-related illnesses by $300.

Honoring veterans means not only addressing their concerns, but acknowledging and affirming their families concerns too. By co-sponsoring H.R. 4335 VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act, Congress would require a Federal Housing Administration mortgage notice to contain comparative rate and fee information about loans available to Veterans. Incorporating oversight from the Department of Veterans Affairs home loan program, this act will help protect veterans from predatory loan practices.

Additionally, I collaborated with several of my colleagues to introduce
H.R. 4157 Not Just a Number Act, which aims to reduce suicide among veterans, and H.R. 1139 GUARD VA Benefits Act, a bill that imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting, charging, or receiving any unauthorized compensation with respect to the preparation of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. This legislation would help to safeguard Veteran benefits and protect unaccredited third parties from being defrauded.

I will continue to honor our veterans by working to ensure military households have access and support to the resources they have earned. In 2020, the Connecticut Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart awarded my office the designation of “Purple Heart Office,” in acknowledgement of our dedication and support of America’s combat wounded Veterans. My office is the only Congressional office on the East Coast to have received this honor and a place on the Purple Heart Trail, a map to guide veterans to places where they will be met with kindness and respect.

For their tenacity and heroism, we are forever indebted to the men and women of our Armed Services. I commemorate their sacrifices and reaffirm my commitment to improving the lives of those who have served. If you are the surviving family of a service member who needs assistance accessing benefits, receiving awards, or navigating the VA, please contact my office at (860) 223-8412.


Jahana Hayes
Member of Congress