Nearly 40,000 veterans call Ohio’s Fifth District home, and I am honored to serve each and every one of them – including their families – in the United States Congress. Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line every day so we may continue to call this country the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is our duty, as Americans, to support them upon their return home.
CASEWORK ASSISTANCE:
Whether it is ensuring veterans receive a response from the VA to see a doctor or if they are having trouble receiving ID cards or service records – my office stands ready to assist.
Veterans who need assistance may call my Bowling Green office at (419) 354-8700 or CLICK HERE to send a message. For more information on casework services, CLICK HERE. While we cannot guarantee a specific outcome, we will do our best to assist by seeking solutions or cutting through bureaucratic red tape. This is a very important and integral part of my job, and I will always promote the interests and well-being of our veterans.
VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT:
The Veterans History Project through the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The program was created by Congress in 2000 to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of veterans so that future generations can better understand the realities of war.
If you are a veteran and wish to share your personal experiences and stories for the Veterans History Project, you can submit any of the following materials to THIS link:
- audio or video recorded interviews,
- written memoirs,
- correspondence materials such as letters, postcards or personal diaries, and
- visual materials including photographs, drawings, or scrapbooks.
LEGISLATIVE WORK:
In an effort to uphold our promise to our nation's heroes, I have worked diligently with my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives on a number of efforts to ensure our veterans are receiving the care they need and the benefits they’ve earned. Below is a list of some of the veterans-related legislation I have advanced in Congress:
118th Congress
- H.R. 3644, the Addressing Care Timelines (ACT) for Veterans Act: Provides the VA Secretary with additional authorities to allow veterans an additional 24-hour period, at minimum, to notify the VA when receiving care at a non-VA facility. This additional time-period will allow for flexibility if a veteran needs additional time to recover from a severe medical condition or if they are experiencing other challenges.
117th Congress
- H.R. 2151, the Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act: Directs the VA to create a program that will help actively recruit medical personnel, who are within one year of completing their military service, to remain in federal health care in departments like the VA.
116th Congress
- H.R. 6115, Preparing Servicemembers for Success Act: Establishes additional performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) programs of each branch in connecting members of the Armed Forces with professional credential programs.
115th Congress
- H.R. 5096, the Veterans Cancer Treatment Flexibility Act: Makes a veteran eligible for the VA Choice Program if they have been diagnosed with cancer and reside more than 40 miles from a medical facility of the Department where the veteran may receive cancer treatment (including chemotherapy).
114th Congress
- H.R. 3929, the Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act: Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to the members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in recognition of their superior service and major contributions during World War II.
- H.R. 1302, the VA Appeals Backlog Relief Act: Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office certifies a VA Form 9, Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals, submitted by a veteran to appeal a decision relating to a claim, by not later than one year after receiving such form.
- H.R. 992, the Veterans Air Travel Streamlining Act: Requires: (1) the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to waive the application fee for veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 50% or more who apply to participate in TSA's Pre-check program, and (2) the Administrator and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a system to verify such a veteran's disability rating and whether such veteran's disability is service-connected.
