Veterans
Congressman Roy believes in fighting for those who fought for America. That means Congress must provide our men and women in uniform what they need to defend our country at home and abroad. That’s why he supports strengthening our military and ensuring they have both the tools and clarity of mission necessary to succeed on the battlefield.
In addition, our service members and veterans deserve members of Congress who will unequivocally support them and have their back.
When we send someone to risk everything and fight for our freedom, they should get the thanks they are due. Congress must do a better job at making sure Washington focuses on its core function so that all active-duty military and veterans are getting the health care and benefits they have rightfully earned.
So far this Congress, Rep. Roy has:
- Introduced H.R. 1520 – Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act. This legislation creates a pilot program through which veterans will be able to access the physician of their choice via direct primary care arrangements. No bureaucracy should separate veterans from the doctor of their choice.
- Introduced H.R. 1771 – Defending Veterans’ Second Amendment Rights Act. Co-sponsored by HVAC Ranking Member Bost, this bill prohibits the Secretary of the VA from transmitting veteran’s information to the Department of Justice for use by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Veterans should never be afraid to seek mental healthcare from the very agency created to serve them because they might lose their Second Amendment rights.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman Roy:
- Introduced the “Forgotten Vietnam Veterans Act” that was signed into law by President Trump. This act expanded VA wartime benefits to Vietnam veterans who were previously denied due to a VA and DoD date discrepancy.
- Worked on a bipartisan basis to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to veterans and their families. On March 24th President Biden signed into law the “SAVES LIVE Act” that expanded VA’s authority to provide COVID-19 vaccines to veterans not eligible for enrollment in the VA health care system, caregiver of veterans, and spouses of disabled veterans or veterans who have died from service-connected disability.
- Protected veterans’ GI benefits during COVID-19. Rep. Roy worked with colleagues on the committee to introduce legislation, later signed into law by President Trump, which authorized the VA to continue to provide educational assistance through December 21, 2020, for programs of education that have been converted to distance learning due to COVID-19.
For more information concerning work and views related to veterans’ issues, please contact our office.
More on Veterans
WASHINGTON — Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) issued the following statement Thursday:
My prayers are with the families of the service members killed in action today in Kabul. To those who give the last full measure of devotion in service to this Republic, its citizens owe a debt of gratitude that we can never fully repay.
To the courageous men and women in uniform – and their families – who answered the call to defend our nation in the wake of 9/11 and took the fight to radical Islamic forces of evil in Afghanistan, we say thank you.
You kept your promise, and you did your job. When allowed by politicians, you killed the enemy – and you took out the worst of their leaders – from Osama bin Laden to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and Qasem Soleimani. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten and we are a better and stronger nation for your service.
WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced bipartisan legislation to support military and veterans’ families across the country by increasing the maximum coverage amount available under the Servicemember Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) policy. Congressman Roy was joined by fellow House Committee on Veterans Affairs members Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49), Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02), and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (MI-08).
On May 31, 2021, Rep. Chip Roy gave remarks at a Memorial Day service held by American Legion Post 313 in Boerne, TX. Below are the remarks as prepared:
"What calls a man to stand up, jump out of a Higgins boat into a hail of bullets and mortar fire, then run though the freezing water toward a tall cliff to climb as he watches his brothers fall alongside him? All toward a continent thousands of miles away on the other side of an ocean from his family and home?
"The answer is the cause of freedom and the courage to fight for it.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) and House Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mike Bost (IL-12) reintroduced the Defending Veterans’ Second Amendments Rights Act, an effort to protect the Second Amendment rights of the brave men and women who have served our nation.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Representatives Chip Roy (TX-21), Madison Cawthorn (NC-11), Ted Budd (NC-13), John Curtis (UT-03), and Pete Sessions (TX-17) introduced the Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care (VADPC) Act to give veterans greater choice and control over their health care.
Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) appeared on One America News Network’s After Hours with Alex Salvi earlier this week to discuss the Biden Administration’s destructive actions on energy production and immigration, his opposition to the current impeachment effort against Donald Trump, and the current deployment of National Guardsmen to the United States Capitol.
A rough transcript of the appearance is below, and footage can be found here.
Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) issued the following statement after voting to sustain President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act Monday evening:
As I said when I first voted against this bill, it is a blueprint for a military that serves the swamp first and America and her troops last.
This bill perpetuates the war in Afghanistan, hamstrings the president’s reduction of American troops elsewhere, maintains the status quo of undeclared wars all over the globe, prohibits the reduction of wasteful military spending overseas.
Rep. Chip Roy released the following statement on Wednesday’s passage of H.R. 6082, the Forgotten Vietnam Veterans Act, as part of H.R. 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veteran's Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020:
For Immediate Release: June 9, 2020
Contact: Robert Donachie 202.225.4236