releases: https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/we-must-always-strive-do-better-our-vets
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/we-must-always-strive-do-better-our-vets | We Must Always Strive to Do Better for Our Vets | 2018-12-03 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | NY | Lee Zeldin | Z000017 | zeldin.house.gov | legacy | Op-Ed by Congressman Lee Zeldin Our nation's servicemen and women have put their lives on the line in defense of the freedoms and liberties that make this country the greatest in the world. It is thanks to them that we have the opportunity to wake up each and everyday safe and free. On the battlefield, is it critical we provide them with the resources they need to safely and effectively do their jobs, but it is equally as important to give them our unwavering support as they transition back into civilian life. It is my belief that no matter what we do today to assist our nation's veterans that we should wake up tomorrow identifying what else needs to be done. For example, three issues of focus that must be addressed with urgency relate to the underpayment of GI Bill benefits, new service connected illnesses related to burn pits, and the closure of the Beacon House in Northport. We are reminded that our work fighting for our nation's veterans is never finished. After the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) failed to comply with the technological upgrades mandated under the Forever GI Bill,19 members of the New York Congressional delegation called on the VA to rectify this immediatelyas the beginning of the academic year was quickly approaching. However, last week, we heard concerning reports that the VA failed to provide the proper amount of housing stipends to student veterans, and that the VA would not process retroactive payments for underpaid or missed claims. While the VA has since promised that all veterans will be made whole, there have been limited details regarding the method and timing of back paying these veterans. It is unacceptable to require any veteran to bare a financial burden due to the VA's inability to comply with the law. Immediate, total relief must be provided to the veterans impacted. In addition to providing educational opportunities for our nation's veterans, the VA also bares the responsibility of providing health care for our servicemen and women, a responsibility that requires them to adapt to the ever-changing service-connected illnesses experienced by veterans. For example, in Iraq and Afghanistan, burn pits were used as a means of waste disposal on military bases, which expelled plumes of smoke into the air on the base. Last week, an Augusta University study was released that showed service members exposed to burn pits had a higher likelihood of contracting cancer. However, without concrete data to show a direct correlation between the two, the VA is currently covering these illnesses only on a case-by-case basis, not across the board. That's why I supported and the President signed into law, an additional $5 million to study the effects of burn pits on our servicemen and women overseas. More must be done. While the VA continues to study the correlation between burn pits and a higher rate of contracting cancer, which could take years, they cannot leave these servicemen and women without the care they have earned. Transitioning back into civilian life presents a host of challenges, and when coupled with a service-connected disability or mental illness can lead to an increase in veteran homelessness. Boasting the highest number of veterans in New York and one of the highest in the nation, Suffolk County is no exception. Beacon House, right on Northport VA's campus, has provided such a critical service, sheltering homeless veterans all while in close proximity to many other services they need, which is why it's closure since last January has hit the veteran community hard and reports of its continued closure are even more troubling. Originally closed for infrastructure updates, the closure has now been extended because the building is no longer grandfathered in under the fire codes it met upon its original closure and is not in compliance with new fire codes. Anyone who has followed Northport over the years, knows that there have been a lot of issues due to staffing shortages, aging infrastructure and so much more that come with running a huge health center like Northport, but that cannot be an excuse. The men and women who go to Northport for their care have put their lives on the line for us and they deserve the highest quality care. From Northport on Long Island to the VA in Washington, D.C., we must do better for our nation's veterans. Failure is not an option, and just as our veterans have never stopped fighting for us, we must never stop fighting for them and the benefits and services they have more than earned. Congressman Lee Zeldin represents the First Congressional District of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |