Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline: Honoring our Nation’s Veterans

Honoring our Nation’s Veterans
On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, the guns of World War I finally fell silent, and the armistice with Germany went into effect. Out of the ashes of this day rose what was originally called Armistice Day but since 1954 has been recognized and set aside as Veterans Day.

On this Veterans Day, we recognize the roughly 20 million veterans who have served this country in both war and peace, and as a Nation, we extend a hand of gratitude to all our veterans who put their lives on the line daily to protect freedom on our soil and around the globe.

As a Member of Congress, advocating for our veterans and their families is a top priority. My district offices in Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Roanoke, and Staunton help veterans with their claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and in Washington, I am always looking for new ways to do more to support those who have supported us.

Over the past year, my colleagues and I have strived to honor veterans by advocating for and passing legislation, some of which the president has signed into law, concerning burn pits, suicide prevention, veteran healthcare options, Blue Water Navy, the widow’s tax, Reserve and National Guard bankruptcy, and opening up membership into the American Legion for previously disqualified veterans.

Couple that with some good employment and economic news: The 2018 veteran unemployment rate of 3.5 percent was the lowest since 2000, meaning that the unemployment compensation payments to veterans fell to $178 million in 2018 from a high of almost $1 billion in 2011.

Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act:
Passing the House in March, H.R. 1381, the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act, would strengthen and expand the VA’s registry of service members who were exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. This measure currently awaits further action in the U.S. Senate.

Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act:
In June, the president signed H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. For decades, tens of thousands of veterans suffering from diseases caused by Agent Orange in the Vietnam War and their families have been denied their earned benefits under the Agent Orange Act of 1991. While it was long past due, the House voted unanimously to correct the injustice done to Blue Water Navy veterans. Under the bill’s provisions, veterans who served in specified offshore areas near Vietnam from January 9, 1962, through May 7, 1975 will be given the presumption of Agent Orange exposure, thus allowing them to receive medical care and disability compensation.

VA MISSION Act:
Also in June, a new VA program went into effect. Titled the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthen Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act, this legislation overhauled VA care programs by allowing veterans to seek medical treatment outside of the VA system. While the VA offers overwhelming support to our nation’s veterans, those who wish to seek health services outside the system should have the right to do so. This bill does not force any veteran out of the VA system, but simply ensures that our service members have access to the quality and timely care they have earned. As the VA continues to implement the changes laid out in the MISSION Act, you may rest assured that my colleagues and I in Congress will continue to hold the agency accountable to protect against any veteran falling victim to a broken system.

LEGION Act:
On July 30, I joined the President in the Oval Office as he signed H.R. 1641, the Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service (LEGION) Act. This legislation expands American Legion membership criteria to include all honorably discharged veterans who served their country. The passage of this legislation means that our heroes who have served in times of unrecognized conflicts will finally be eligible to join the American Legion. Passing this bipartisan bill was the right thing to show our gratitude for those military members who honorably served and for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during unrecognized periods of conflict.

National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act:
In August, the President signed another one of my bills, H.R. 3304, the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act into law. Under the new law, certain members of the National Guard and Reserves who fall on hard economic times after returning from active duty deployment will continue to obtain relief without having to fill out the substantial paperwork required by the so-called “means test” under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. This bipartisan legislation allowed us to extend the commonsense measure of relieving our veterans of burdensome paperwork for four years.

Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act:
Additionally, I was pleased to also support legislation aimed at ending the “widow’s tax” and to expand the burn pit registry program. Impacting an estimated 67,000 military survivors, I was proud to cosponsor H.R. 553, the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act. If passed, this legislation would allow the survivors of deceased servicemen and women to keep their Military Survivor Benefit Plan payments when they are awarded the VA’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Dubbed the “widow’s tax,” current law calls for an offsetting of these two payments, in some cases wiping out most or all the Benefit Plan payments.

Improve Act:
It is a national shame that 20 veterans a day die by suicide, and 14 out of these 20 veterans are not under the care of the VA and are outside the system. After 15 years and billions of dollars spent on VA mental health programs, the statistic has remained virtually unchanged.

To address this ongoing problem, I cosponsored H.R. 3495, the Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act, which if passed, would create a grant program that would allow the VA to tap into the nationwide network of organizations, including state and local organizations, already providing lifesaving services to local veterans, especially those the VA has not been able to reach before. It is my hope that this much needed legislation reaches the House floor soon and that its intended purpose saves the lives of our service men and women who suffer from the unseen costs of war.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please call the Veterans Crisis Line below for help:

More Work To Be Done:
While Congress has done much since January, there must be continued focus on the veteran suicide rate, as well as improvement on the quality and timeliness of healthcare treatment, female veterans, veteran homelessness, and military spouse hiring.

Females are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population. They are also most at risk for becoming homeless. The VA must continue to improve on their healthcare delivery for female veterans. There must be uniform and consistent care in the VA system that meets the unique needs of all female veterans at every hospital within the VA system.

After a decade of reduction in veteran homelessness, the number of veterans on the street has ticked up slightly, with housing prices in cities like New York and Los Angeles being the leading cause. Although we spend billions on helping the homeless, we must ensure that there are jobs that can provide the means to support them and their families. We must not rest until every veteran who wants to work has a job, and every veteran who is homeless is housed.

For over 250 years, our nation has produced individuals who came before us in the fights for freedom and democracy. Our republic has been blessed that there are those for whom service above self is more than a saying but a way of life.

On Veterans Day we honor your courage and sacrifice, and we salute you and your family for service to our nation.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.

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