Fulfilling the Promises Made to Our Veterans
On November 11th, 2011, our country will celebrate Veterans Day. This special occasion provides all Americans with an opportunity to come together to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have answered the call to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces.
We are truly blessed to live in a country that produces heroes like those that have worn the uniform of the United States military. These individuals’ patriotism and willingness to sacrifice should serve as a daily inspiration for all of us. They are, without a doubt, the best that we have to offer.
Unfortunately, the freedoms that we enjoy often come at a high price. Far too often, our soldiers return home carrying with them the lasting effects of war. Whether it is a physical injury sustained on the battlefield, difficulties in returning to civilian life, or issues with finding employment, it is incumbent upon us to provide for the well-being of those who have graciously dedicated their lives to defending our independence and freedom.
Fortunately, the United States has made a commitment to ensuring that veterans have the tools and resources that they need to support them when they return to civilian life. As a both a Member of Congress and as former physician in a VA hospital, I am fully committed to ensuring that veterans in the Fourth District of Tennessee will always receive the quality care they deserve. Since the beginning of the 112th Congress, the House of Representatives has passed several pieces of legislation aimed at better fulfilling the promises our nation has made to our veterans
This week, I was pleased to vote in favor for a bill that would increase the benefits paid to disabled military veterans and to their survivors by 3.6% beginning on December 1, 2011. Previously, Social Security recipients and federal retirees automatically received a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) pegged to the Consumer Price Index, however disabled veterans were not included in this overall increase. This bill will ensure that our veterans receive the COLA increase they deserve. I’m happy to report that this legislation has passed Congress and is now heading to the president’ desk for him sign into law.
As part of an effort to create better economic opportunities for veterans, the House recently passed the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan piece of legislation that will put veterans back to work. The VOW Act is comprised of four provisions to help veterans in finding long-term employment. First, the bill ensures that there is an effective transition process when service members are discharged and seeking a job. This process includes a focus on job seeking skills, such as resume writing. Second, it provides education and training for our veterans, including enabling 100,000 unemployed veterans of past eras to receive up to 1-year of Montgomery GI Bill benefits. Third, this plan strengthens the protections provided by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) so those who serve in the National Guard will be reemployed upon return. Finally, this bill works with the Department of Labor and the states to identify roadblocks our veterans are facing while looking for employment
Additionally, the VOW Act provides a $25,000 tax incentive to small businesses, including veteran-owned businesses, who hire an unemployed veteran. The Tax Credit to Hire Veterans Act includes safeguards within the legislation ensure that veterans will be hired for the right reasons and prevent abuse.
There are nearly 1 million unemployed veterans in the United States, with the unemployment rate for veterans in Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District at 11%. House Republicans have pledged to work to reduce the nation’s veteran unemployment rate by by half, to 5% in the next two years. The VOW Act is not only an important step toward achieving that goal, but one that will not add a single penny to the deficit.
Too many of our veterans suffer from a disability sustained during their military service and are still struggling to get their claims processed in a timely manner. In an effort to make the VA system more efficient, the House passed the Veterans' Benefits Training Improvement Act. This bill will improve processing for compensation and pension benefit claims by creating training programs for all employees and managers who process or supervise disability claims.
I will continue to support legislation ensuring that our nation’s heroes are properly taken care of and receive the benefits they need and deserve. Also, my offices and staff are available to assist Fourth District veterans with any issues they may have with VA claims and military service related issues.
On this Veterans Day, I hope you will join me in honoring the men and women who bravely served our country, and in praying for the safety of our soldiers who are currently fighting for our freedoms in far away areas of the world.