{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-asks-us-veterans-affairs-expand-veteran-resources-hunterdon-county", "Kean Asks US Veterans Affairs to Expand Veteran Resources in Hunterdon County", "2026-08-18", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 18, 2026) Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Acting Under Secretary of Health, John Figueroa, proposing the establishment of a new VA Vet Center in Hunterdon County.\n\nIn his letter to Under Secretary Figueroa, Congressman Kean called for expanding VA resources in Hunterdon County to benefit its more than 5,000 veteran residents.\n\nIn 2023, Congressman Kean introduced bipartisan legislation to broaden access to Vet Center mental health counseling for veterans and their families. This legislation directly led to the creation of two Veteran Center Community Access Points in Morris and Warren counties.\n\n\"More than 5,000 veterans reside in Hunterdon County, and many would benefit significantly from having these critical resources available closer to home,\u201d Congressman Kean wrote. \"This effort aligns with my broader initiatives to expand VA resources throughout Northwest New Jersey.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Commissioner Board appreciates Congressman Kean's continued efforts to secure additional health care services for Hunterdon County veterans,\u201d said Hunterdon County Commissioner Director John E. Lanza. \u201cHaving a local VA access point is important, and the Commissioner Board reaffirms its offer to provide county office space to the Department of Veterans Affairs free of charge to help make this initiative a reality.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to health care remains one of the most important issues facing our veterans. A local VA access point in Hunterdon County would make it easier for veterans to connect with the care and services they have earned, while reducing the need to travel outside the county,\u201d said Hunterdon County VSO Rich Booth. \u201cWe appreciate Congressman Kean's efforts and the County's commitment to helping bring these services closer to home.\"\n\nRead the full letter below and HERE:\n\nDear Secretary John Figueroa:\n\nI am writing to respectfully propose the establishment of a new VA Vet Center in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, to ensure local veterans have greater access to essential health and counseling services. More than 5,000 veterans reside in Hunterdon County, and many would benefit significantly from having these critical resources available closer to home.\n\nThis effort aligns with my broader initiatives to expand VA resources throughout New Jersey. One of my first actions in Congress was introducing bipartisan legislation to broaden access to Vet Center mental health counseling for veterans and their families. In 2024, this work resulted in the creation of two new Veteran Center Community Access Points in Morris and Warren counties. Despite this progress, I continue to hear from constituents about the lack of comparable services within Hunterdon County.\n\nThe Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners and the Hunterdon County Office on Veterans' Services have shown strong support for establishing a Vet Center in Hunterdon County. The commissioners have identified a potential site for a VA location and have generously offered it to the VA free of charge. Additionally, the expansion of VA resources in Hunterdon County is backed by numerous veteran organizations at the local, county, and statewide levels.\n\nMy office stands ready to assist in evaluating and advancing this effort to expand critical assistance to local veterans. I remain committed to working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure veterans in New Jersey receive timely, appropriate, and comprehensive support.\n\nThank you for your continued dedication to our veterans. I look forward to discussing this proposal further and working together to strengthen the services available to those who have served our nation.\n\nSincerely,\n\nTom Kean, Jr.\n\nMember of Congress\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"]], "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://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-asks-us-veterans-affairs-expand-veteran-resources-hunterdon-county"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9285171292722225, "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"}