Political Quotes

“As ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, one of my top priorities is protecting the constitutional rights of our veterans. Today, I want to raise awareness of a policy that strips law-abiding veterans of their Second Amendment rights; specifically, the policy that requires VA to report veterans who need help managing their VA benefits to the NICS program, thereby making it illegal for them to possess firearms. To illustrate this practice, I would like to tell you a story about a hypothetical veteran named Joe. Joe likes to go on hunting trips with his fellow veterans. These trips are therapeutic for Joe. They give him stress relief and a fun hobby and an opportunity to connect with other veterans. Unfortunately, Joe begins to suffer from headaches and memory loss, which he believes is linked to an in-service blast injury. He files a claim for VA disability compensation benefits. During the claims process, the VA learns that Joe struggles to pay his bills on time because of this traumatic brain injury. This triggers the VA's requirement to determine if Joe is capable of managing his own VA benefits. Ultimately, VA decides that Joe requires assistance handling his VA compensation payments. The VA appoints a fiduciary to receive and manage Joe's VA benefits on his behalf. As a result of the VA's appointment of a fiduciary, VA must--not by law, but by administrative rule--report Joe to the FBI NICS list.…”