July 16, 2020

Dear John,

North Texas is home to thousands of veterans who not only dedicated their time and service to our country, but continue to serve and enrich our community today. At a time when many families are struggling, I am proud to have introduced two bipartisan bills to support our veterans.

As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to expand opportunities for our veterans and ensure they get the benefits they’re owed. I introduced the bipartisan Veterans Claim Transparency Act to increase accountability and accessibility in the veterans benefits claims process. The bill establishes a 48-hour review period for corrections that will help a veteran’s representative, like a Veteran Service Organization, correct mistakes to ensure veterans get the right benefits the first time and do not have to file a cumbersome appeal at a later date.

One of the greatest challenges our veterans face is the transition back into civilian life. To help veterans navigate the bureaucracy of veterans benefits and claims, I helped to introduce legislation for a Congressional VA Work-Study program. The bill provides veterans with opportunities for work in a congressional office as a veteran caseworker, assisting their fellow veterans with accessing the benefits and services they’ve earned. My goal is to ensure our veterans have access to job training and work-study programs that can help them succeed in their post-military careers.

I will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to further opportunities and expand care for our veterans. I am proud to have helped secure the Garland VA Medical Center, which is now open and serving veterans with COVID-19 and providing a wide array of other general services.

If you are -- or know -- a veteran who needs help with VA benefits, please give my Richardson office a call for assistance: (972) 972-7949.

Sincerely,

Colin Allred
Member of Congress

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