{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bilirakis-named-veterans-advisor-speaker-johnson", "Bilirakis Named Veterans\u2019 Advisor to Speaker Johnson", "2023-12-18", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Gus M. Bilirakis", "B001257", "bilirakis.house.gov", "bilirakis", "https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington: Earlier today, House Speaker Mike Johnson appointed Representative Gus Bilirakis to serve as Veterans\u2019 Advisor to the Speaker. Bilirakis, who served for 14 years on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, including multiple years as Vice-Chairman and in the same advisory capacity to Speaker McCarthy, has a long history championing legislation to help Veterans and their families. Among his most notable accomplishments, Bilirakis has authored legislation signed into law to improve mental health options, strengthen homeless prevention programs and boost educational benefits for Veterans. He has also worked to improve the transition support Veterans receive when returning to civilian life and to ensure formal recognition of the damage that toxic exposure has caused our nation\u2019s heroes which has subsequently led to these Veterans receiving the benefits to which they are entitled.\n\n\u201cThroughout my tenure in Congress, I have made it my priority to act as the voice of the men and women who serve our nation,\u201d said Congressman Bilirakis. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for this newest opportunity to strengthen that voice and will continue pushing to ensure Veterans issues remain at the forefront of the priorities we tackle this Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Bilirakis is widely regarded as one of Congress\u2019 most effective members, and he has been a strong advocate in delivering real results on behalf of America\u2019s veterans,\u201d said Speaker Mike Johnson. \u201cI am proud to have Gus continue serving as Special Advisor to the Speaker on Veterans\u2019 issues.\u201d\n\nCongressman Bilirakis\u2019s latest legislative push on behalf of Veterans is to get the Major Richard Star Act (MRSA) across the finish line this term. MRSA would ensure that the 50,000 combat-wounded Veterans who have been medically retired receive the retirement and disability pay they\u2019ve earned. Right now, only military retirees with at least 20 years of service and a disability rating of 50 percent and higher are able to collect both benefits at the same time. Current law requires a dollar for dollar offset of these two benefits for all other retired veterans, meaning they have to forfeit a portion of the benefits they earned in service. Congressman Bilirakis is committed to rectifying this injustice.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bilirakis-named-veterans-advisor-speaker-johnson"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9118570014834404, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}