Issue Position: Veterans' Affairs

Issue Position

Issue Position: Veterans' Affairs

I am proud to serve on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. We owe a great deal to those who have protected us in the past, and owe those serving us now, so often at great personal risk and sacrifice. The assurance that the VA system will be there to help them when they return to civilian life is a must. One great local accomplishment is the recent renovation and new construction that converted part of the old Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville into a state of the art nursing home for veterans. I am also delighted by the reform of the Survivors Benefit Program. Right now, spouses of deceased military retirees have their benefits slashed by up to 55% at the age of 62. This "widow's tax" is not fair, and I helped pass the legislation that will phase out the "widow's tax" in the next few years.

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