It is an honor to recognize our veterans’ service and sacrifice to our great nation. Our region has a legacy of brave Americans who have selflessly served our nation for generations, and their dedication must never be forgotten. I am proud to represent the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, the most deployed U.S. Army division since 9/11, as well the many other veterans across New York’s 21st District.

We must make sure that the promises made to our veterans for their selfless services are promises kept. Since my time in Congress, I have delivered over $5.5 million in VA benefits to North Country veterans and supported bipartisan legislation for our veterans. 

For example, I recently supported the Patient Advocate Tracker Act, which would hold the VA accountable to quality care by creating an online portal for veterans to track the status of formal VA complaints, the Veterans First Act of 2022 to protect veterans’ resources by preventing the Biden Administration from diverting funds from our veterans to manage their immigration crisis, the Military Spouse Hiring Act which incentivizes employers to hire spouses of servicemembers, and the VA Safe Holidays Act to protect veterans from identity theft and fraud.

Too many of our veterans and their families have struggled to secure their benefits from the VA, an agency infamous for its regulatory red tape, which I am working to cut through on behalf of our veterans.

My office has completed over 13,000 casework requests, and I take great responsibility in being responsive to constituents as they navigate federal agencies. Helping the Peltz family as they ran into bureaucratic red tape due to VA error while trying to access their father’s retroactive benefits highlighted an area that could be solved with legislation. In response, I brought their concerns to the highest levels and introduced the Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans Benefits Act to take one step forward in improving the effectiveness of the VA.

This bill, named in honor of World War II Veteran Ernest Peltz, will assist veterans and their families with the VA bureaucratic claim process by clarifying survivors and ensuring retroactive benefits from the effective eligibility date, including the month a veteran passes away. In the Republican majority next Congress, I will continue to bring this issue to the highest levels and hold the VA accountable for failing to provide benefits to veterans. My bill has bipartisan support, and we can get this done on behalf of our veterans, so families like the Peltzes will have the peace of mind about the benefits their family members have earned. 

I am proud to have led bipartisan legislation to make it easier for rural veterans to access the care they need and deserve. The Highly Rural Veterans Transportation Grant Program helps veterans that reside in rural areas travel to VA health care facilities for free. My bill would ensure that this grant program is permanently funded, so that veterans get the support they earned through their selfless service to our country. I will continue to bring the concerns of our veterans in rural areas of our district and across this nation to the highest levels. 

As our veterans transition back to their communities, they need our support, and I am proud to work to ensure they have the mental health resources they deserve. I have supported numerous pieces of legislation to support the mental health of our veterans, including the Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act, the Connecting the Community to End Military Suicide Act, and the Save Our Servicemembers Act. 

Our veterans selflessly fought for our country and our freedom, but that service did not come without a cost. If you or someone you know is struggling, many resources are available. I am committed to helping our veterans claim their benefits and utilize the available resources.

To all of our NY-21 veterans, thank you. Your service is not forgotten.

I was proud to honor our veterans at the Warren Center Nursing Home this week in Queensbury. I was able to talk with veterans from our district who selflessly served our nation and give them my utmost gratitude.

Today, I joined the Essex County Leathernecks at the dedication of a new monument  to honor our U.S. Marine Corps who have called the Adirondacks home in Crown Point Veterans Park.