Dear John,
Veteran’s day is quickly approaching (November 11th), and I wanted to take this opportunity to share the success we have had defending our defenders over the last few years. Strengthening our military and supporting military families has always been a top priority of mine in Congress. After serving nearly 30 years in the Air Force, I know first-hand the many sacrifices our military and Gold Star families have made while their loved ones have fought and continue to fight so that we can keep our freedoms and rights that we have today.
My first bill to pass the House of Representatives and become law was H.R. 3897, the Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act of 2017. It was amended into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in 2018 and ensures that families of service members killed during active duty can access military installations, memorial services and any other services and benefits they are entitled to.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and co-chair of the For-Country Caucus, I work across the aisle with my colleagues to protect our armed forces, federal workers, and Gold Star Families. We have made real progress by eliminating the Widow Tax and Kiddie Tax, providing parental leave for federal workers, and improving access to our bases for surviving military families. Cutting through the bureaucracy is never easy but I’m pleased by what we’ve been able to accomplish in a relatively short time.
Another top priority I knew I had to address in Congress was sexual assaults in the military. In 2008 when I took on the assignment of Commander for Ramstein Air Base in Germany, I knew I would have to tackle the high number of sexual assault allegations at the base. I instituted a program to address the issue and it was later ranked by the Air Force as the number one sexual assault response program.
This past February, I worked with Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California to introduce a “Safe to Report” policy across the military so that survivors of sexual violence could report these incidents without fear of being charged with a minor offense such as underage drinking or violating curfew, unless aggravating circumstances exist. I was driven to work on this after a constituent reached out me because she had been charged with underage drinking after reporting a sexual assault at a military base. I’m also pleased to report that she allowed me to work on her case and have the underage drinking charge removed from her military record. To learn more about her story, click here.
Finally, this past August, the new Ambulatory Care Center at Omaha’s VA Hospital opened to the public and started serving veterans. For this center to become a reality, I worked with former Representative Brad Ashford who continued the work of former Representative Lee Terry. This $86 million center would not have been possible without putting party politics aside and working across the aisle to defend our defenders. KETV also reported on this. Read the story here.
My office also has a webpage strictly dedicated to providing a list of federal resources, agencies, and information regarding the coronavirus. If my office can be of any assistance, please reach out at 402-938-0300.
As always, I am praying for you and your families.
Sincerely,
Don
