Honor veterans in word and deed

Dina Titus

Monday, Nov. 11, 2013 | 2:03 a.m.

Today, as we honor the American men and women who have served our nation in uniform, let us also be mindful of our responsibility to care for our nation’s heroes. To quote President John F. Kennedy, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

Nevada’s heroes have played a crucial role in our country’s armed services, from the Air Force pilots deployed from Nellis Air Force Base to the Nevada National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 221st Armored Cavalry that served a tour in Iraq and Afghanistan. Throughout the generations, our democracy has been defended by those who have given so much on our behalf. We can never fully repay our veterans for their service and sacrifice, but we can do more to help these brave men and women regain a foothold in civilian life through access to education, good jobs and more effective post-service care. As a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I have sought to give our veterans and their families those opportunities.

Earlier this year, I was proud to introduce the American Heroes COLA Act to make veterans’ annual cost of living adjustments permanent. Unlike with Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, Congress must act each year to provide veterans with the COLA increases they need and deserve. Nevada’s veterans have struggled during this tough economic climate. By permanently changing benefit programs to include automatic cost-of-living increases, we are creating critical peace of mind for those who have bravely served this country by removing the issue from a capricious political arena.

The Veterans’ Affairs Committee has also addressed the unacceptable backlog in claims processing. I have worked to reduce the time veterans must wait to receive the benefits they are owed. At the end of last month, the House approved my legislation, the “Pay As You Rate Act,” which requires the Veterans Administration to pay portions of veterans’ benefits as they are approved, rather than force veterans to wait until their entire claim is settled. The House also approved common-sense legislation I introduced to expedite appeals by veterans who are disputing VA decisions on their claims, shortening the process by two months.

These are positive steps toward providing veteran benefits in an expeditious fashion. But we must also ensure that our veterans get every chance to succeed in civilian life. That is why I recently introduced a package of legislation to address the key challenges that have been raised by Southern Nevada veterans and military families.

The Streamlining Support for Veterans and Military Caregivers Act would expand care for veterans by allowing non-family members to receive compensation for care. In addition, it would allow more veterans to qualify for compensated care by including veterans who sustained “serious” injuries. Currently, only veterans who sustained “catastrophic” injuries qualify for the VA’s compensated care program. This measure will improve the care of injured veterans when they leave the hospital and go home to recuperate.

We must never forget that when a soldier is deployed, his or her family also goes to war. That is why we must do all we can to help family members of those who lost their lives serving our country. As part of my veterans’ legislative package, I have introduced the Spouses of Heroes Education Act, which would allow spouses to receive full in-state tuition, fees and a monthly living stipend under the GI Bill just as the children of a fallen veteran are entitled to.

Recent veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have come home to another challenge — trying to rebuild their lives in an economy still recovering from the Great Recession. Too many have yet to make that transition. The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in September of this year was 10.1 percent, compared with the national unemployment rate of 7.2 percent.

The Jobs for Veterans Clearinghouse Act would establish a grant program for nonprofit organizations in 75 cities with the largest veteran populations, including Las Vegas, to help place those veterans in jobs.

The legislation would create online nationwide clearinghouses that direct veterans to job openings and allow employers to match veterans with positions they have available. This will facilitate the hiring process for many good companies who know veterans make excellent employees.

Today, Veterans Day, is a day for remembering and caring. Just as the military pledges to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we must promise that when he or she returns home, we will leave no veterans or their families behind. So take a moment today to reflect on that special family member or friend or stranger who has been in the armed forces, and tell him or her, “Thank you for your service.”

Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., represents the central Las Vegas Valley in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District.