On the recordSeptember 18, 2023
I rise as a strong supporter of H.R. 1530, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2023, which, among other things, would amend title 38 of the United States Code to improve the requirement to publish disability benefit questionnaire forms of Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans are some of America's most valued members of society. These are people who served our nation in a time of need, people who risked their lives to protect our country. Yet, it pains me to say that many of these same veterans who fought so bravely and risked so much in lands abroad have come back to their nation and have limited access to veterans' outreach programs, particularly in areas with large concentration of veterans. There are approximately 18.5 million veterans in the United States. Of those veterans, 1.5 million reside in Texas--the largest veteran population of any state. This legislation is necessary because veterans have special needs that are unique from those faced by the rest of the population. In 2015, I was proud to introduce the H.E.R.O.E.S. Act, which offers assistance and materials to help veterans transition from the battlefield to the workplace. The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2023 is a step closer towards building a smooth transition for our nation's heroes. H.R. 1530 helps to address the shortcomings in veteran assistance by increasing and extending assistance programs as well as scholarships through the Department of Veterans Affairs.…
