Issue Position: Veterans and Active Duty Service Members

Issue Position

Jimmy knows from his own experience that our service members make enormous sacrifices every day to keep America safe and secure. That is why we must make sure that our troops not only get the support they need on the battlefield, but that they get the support they were promised -- and deserve -- when they return home.

In Congress, Jimmy has built a strong legislative agenda around serving those who served our country. He has advocated for veterans who need help cutting through the red tape at the State and Federal Departments of Veterans Affairs, worked to help our veterans find meaningful employment, and supported efforts to launch veteran-owned businesses.

Jimmy introduced a bipartisan bill, passed by the House, with fellow freshman Congressman Neal Dunn (R-Fla) that would expand opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses to contract with the federal government. He also supported the bipartisan Gold Star Family Support Act, which will give Gold Star Families access to military installations' services and benefits.

He also has sponsored numerous bills that serve veterans and their families and have been signed into law. These bills include Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 to expand the post-9/11 GI Bill and eliminate the 15-year time limit on the use of education benefits for new recruits, and the Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act to allow for construction of a memorial commemorating the Global War on Terror on our National Mall.

Before entering Congress, Jimmy served as a board member of the Veterans Transition Center, where he worked to end veterans' homelessness, and he was a proponent for the enactment of Monterey County's first veteran's treatment court, ensuring that veterans receive the services that they have earned. Jimmy worked with local leaders and veterans to help establish the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery. Based on his work for veterans, Jimmy was honored as a Monterey County Veteran of the Year in 2015.

Jimmy is also working to protect and strengthen the military installations in the central coast of California. Through his work on the House Armed Services Committee, he is promoting the groundbreaking work at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Defense Language Institute. There, our service members are receiving critical education and training to ensure that they accomplish their missions successfully and return home safely. Not only do these facilities enhance our military, they are essential anchors for our local economy. Protecting and maintaining them is a top priority for Jimmy.

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