Dear Friends,

Every day, but particularly on Veterans Day, I am grateful to all the men and women who bravely put on the uniform of the United States Armed Forces. However, they deserve more than just our words of gratitude. We owe them real action.

Recently, I have held several meetings with veterans in the Fourth District, and those conversations have helped me better understand the challenges their community faces in Connecticut and nationwide. What I’m hearing, first and foremost, is that veterans need more mental health resources, and specifically more robust suicide prevention programs.

Veterans are not getting the care they need. This is unacceptable to me and should be unacceptable to all of us. 

• Veterans’ Culturally Competent Care Act – this legislation would require that veterans receive the same quality of mental health care from non-VA providers in the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) as they would get from the VA.
• Veteran Suicide Prevention Act – this legislation would require the VA to review the deaths of veterans who died by suicide while under VA care in order to improve mental health care for our most vulnerable veterans.

This summer I was also proud to help the Unites States Congress pass the bipartisan Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. Almost 10,000 veterans in the state of Connecticut who sacrificed their health in service to our country will now receive proper care, and a fulfilled promise from our nation. 

We owe an enormous debt to those who put their lives and well-being on the line in defense of our freedom. I won’t rest until we make sure every veteran is taken care of, both body and mind. 

Sincerely,

Jim