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Leave no veteran behind
When our nation asked Raymond Federico to serve, he answered the call.
Raymond joined the U.S. Navy and served in Southeast Asia, seeing combat from the decks of troop transports and other ships. He manned a .50-caliber machine gun on boats patrolling the rivers of Vietnam.
Patriots such as Raymond are at the forefront of our minds as we mark Veterans' Day. But honoring the service of veterans like him must go beyond mere words. Deeds are required and Raymond is among the many veterans who know just how serious that requirement is.
After firing the big guns with no ear protection for almost four years, Raymond developed tinnitus and hearing loss and filed for a service-related disability. Earlier this year, Raymond was working for a Tucson automobile dealer, but lost his job and had trouble making his mortgage payments when the business closed.
Things became a little easier for Raymond and his wife when Congress passed the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.
Like many bills concerning our veterans, this one had strong bipartisan support. It increased the annual compensation rate for disabled veterans and their dependent survivors by the same cost-of-living adjustment payable to Social Security recipients.
"It certainly helped so we didn't get behind in our bills," Raymond said.
On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, we must pledge that when service members such as Raymond return home, we leave no veteran behind.
To help fulfill this solemn commitment, I am proposing needed changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect in August. This bill restores the promise of a full, four-year college education for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
These benefits will be available to 2.1 million veterans and to all children of fallen soldiers since 9/11. This is an excellent bill, but I want to make it better.
Some retired veterans eligible for education benefits are unlikely to use them, because they have degrees or went on to careers. I have proposed that eligible veterans who retired before Aug. 1, 2009 have the right to transfer those benefits to other family members.
I also am proposing that housing allowances under the bill be available to veterans who take classes online. And I am asking that veterans who received benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill also be eligible, under some circumstances, for benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, up to a maximum total of 48 months of benefits.
This year Congress has passed numerous bills to improve the lives of the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Each bill will benefit our nation's heroes, past and present, and the military families who support them.
Among those bills was the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, which will provide better healthcare services for the 1.8 million women veterans.
We also passed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which authorizes Congress to approve Veterans Affairs medical care appropriations one year in advance. This will help assure that veterans' medical care will be delivered quickly and will end a cycle of late payments by Congress to the VA.
Legislation, though, is only half the battle. This is why I am urging the Veterans Department to establish a much-needed Vet Center in Cochise County. And this is why I and other members of Congress successfully persuaded the VA to change a policy that required Southern Arizona veterans to travel to Phoenix to collect emergency education benefits.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee who represents a district with two military installations and a large number of veterans, I know how important it is to keep our promises to the courageous men and women who served in our armed forces. I also know that I am far from alone.
Southern Arizonans, like most Americans, are deeply appreciative of the dedication of our service men and women and their families. We must continue keeping our commitments to them -- with words and deeds.