Keep Our Promises to Veterans
Of every issue that she faces, there is none Jane is more passionate about than keeping our promises to our veterans. Jane's family has a long history of military service, and she will work hard to help our veterans receive the benefits they have earned in the service of our country. She will fight to stop the under-funding of veteran's services, including improving the quality and availability of health care.
No veteran should wait weeks for care, suffer in decaying old hospitals, have their mental health ignored, or lack transportation to specialized facilities. These are real American heroes and we must never forget that we enjoy our freedom because of their willingness to stand up for all of us. Jane will stand up for them, on every bill, every time.
She is also committed to providing more funding for education and economic opportunities to veterans when they return home from serving their country. We must modernize the GI Bill in order to meet the needs of today's veterans and their families.
Jane's comprehensive plan to honor our nation's heroes includes:
Access to Quality and Affordable Healthcare for All Veterans: In Congress, Jane will work to ensure that the 1.8 million uninsured veterans have access to the quality healthcare they deserve when they need it. She will fight to end the backlog in the VA system and guarantee the system receives the funding it needs to provide quality care to our veterans. Jane will support measure that focus on the growing problem of post-traumatic stress syndrome among returning veterans.
Enact a Modern GI Bill: Jane will sponsor and support the modernization of the GI Bill so that it meets the needs of the 21st Century and gives members of the Guards and Reserve the benefits they have earned through their service. It will increase funding for job training education programs that focus on high tech industries and provide adequate funding for undergraduate education for service members.
End the Backlog and Bureaucracy: Too often, veterans who file disability claims are mired in a backlog created by a broken bureaucracy. In Congress, Jane will sponsor legislation that will streamline the process to ensure that all veterans filing a disability claim receive a timely and accurate response. She will also vote to expand the Benefits at Discharge Program to guarantee that our servicemen and women receive the benefits they need immediately upon discharge.
Increase Military Pay to Better Reflect Civilian Pay: The gap between civilian pay and military pay is growing wider by the day and it must be addressed. The Bush Administration vetoed legislation last year that would have raised wages for military personnel by 3.5% and Rep. Mike Turner voted against the Stupak amendment to HR 3289, which would increase the basic rate of pay for military services by $265 million – the amount needed to provide a $1,500 bonus to each person serving in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Congress, Jane will always stand up for our nation’s brave veterans by ensuring that they receive a salary that meets the needs of today’s economy.
Expand Educational Opportunity: Of all our citizens, our nation’s veterans have the right to have the opportunity to realize the American dream. Jane will introduce legislation that will expand educational opportunities for veterans by providing student loan relief for mobilized Guard and Reserve troops, restoring vocational training for veterans, and ensuring that all those who served in the armed forces in combat receive the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree without acquiring a mound of debt along with it.
