On the recordJuly 17, 2014
I support this motion to instruct the conferees. The Senate amendments go beyond a short-term solution to solving the patient access crisis at the VA. As a member of the conference committee, I continue to push for the provisions in the Senate amendments because they are good for veterans and their families. We must seize this opportunity to pass meaningful reforms at the VA. Our veterans and their families deserve better than piecemeal, short- term fixes, especially with report after report of veterans struggling to receive timely care and benefits and struggling to find good-paying jobs. One provision in the Senate amendment will give post-9/11 GI benefits to surviving spouses of servicemembers who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We cannot forget about surviving spouses. A surviving spouse struggles with the loss of a loved one and often struggles with a financial loss that can make it difficult to provide for the family left behind. Servicemembers are able to transfer GI Bill benefits to their spouses and children, but the benefits and the ability to transfer this benefit are based on time served on active duty. We can all agree that surviving spouses should not be cut out of receiving full bill benefits if they lose a loved one before that loved one has served 36 months on active duty.…
