Congressman Todd Young's eNewsletter - Helping our Veterans

Statement

This past Memorial Day, while enjoying an extra day with family and friends, Americans took time to remember those who gave their lives serving this country. The sacrifice of these brave men and women is the reason we are able to enjoy the freedoms that we so deeply cherish. While we honor those who madethe ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day, we must also remember to pay respects to all of our veterans for their dedication and commitment to this nation. For this reason, I'd like to take a few moments to update you on some issues I'm working on to help better serve our veterans.

Letter to the President

In an effort to bring attention to the Veteran's Administration (VA) disability claims backlog, I signed onto a letter to President Obama, asking him to prioritize this issue. For too long, our veterans have had to wait incredible amounts of time just to get an answer on their claims. With 600,000 veterans currently stuck in the VA backlog, and average waiting periods reaching nearly a year, we need the President to lead on this issue and make sure that our veterans are getting the service they deserve. This problem will not be solved overnight, but with the right attention and proper leadership, we can make strides towards improving our current claims process.

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Legislation

As we all know, there are a multitude of issues facing today's veterans, and the VA backlog is only one. From homelessness, to unemployment, to mental and physical injuries, our veterans are dealing with a mountain of adversity, and we owe them the best support possible for their service to this country. To address just a few of these issues, last week, Congress passed--and I voted for--several bills that would help provide the assistance our veterans need.

Many of our disabled veterans received their injuries while defending our country. As a result, many have to wait extended periods to get through TSA security checkpoints at airports. H.R. 1344, the Helping Heroes Fly Act, would provide expedited TSA passenger screening for severely injured or disabled Armed Forces members and veterans. This bill will ensure our wounded warriors will not face unnecessary hardships at our airports after courageously serving our country. Additionally, in order to help our veterans with employment after their service, I voted for the H.R. 1412, the Improving Job Opportunities for Veterans Act. This legislation will help promote and build upon existing on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs for veterans.

Going Forward

While we have only begun to touch on a few of the many issues facing our veterans, these are steps in the right directions. The VA backlog is a daunting problem, but we must do everything we can to ensure that our veterans are getting the timely and proper care they deserve. Furthermore, there are many other issues that veterans cope with on a daily basis, many of which are policy issues that can be addressed by Congress. The good news: I know that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are dedicated to helping those who have served, and we will continue working to improve upon programs to assist prior servicemen or women. To help me better understand the issues you or veterans in your family or community are dealing with, I encourage you to write or call in with your comments on how to improve our veterans support programs.

Also, if you are having trouble with a VA claim, need help getting your service medals, or have any other VA concerns, please contact your 9thDistrict Constituent Service Center in Jeffersonville by calling 812-288-3999.

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