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. 3793 - Supporting Families of the Fallen Act. This legislation increases the maximum life insurance coverage for service members and veterans by $100,000, which will give military and veterans' families the option to increase their policy coverage to an amount that best fits their needs.
- 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.
- Introduced H.R. 6649 – Service Restoration Act. This legislation protects American servicemen and women in uniform from being fired for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and ensures that those already fired can return to military service. It is co-sponsored by 20 members of Congress.
- Successfully pressured the Biden administration to resume escorts for honor flight veterans. Leading 75 of his House colleagues, Rep. Roy formally called on the Department of the Interior to provide the Honor Flight Network with the vehicular escort services that enable elderly and disabled veterans to safely visit war memorials around D.C. Following the letter, the administration announced that the escorts would resume in summer 2022.
- Sent a letter to the VA demanding answers on an employee’s brutal assault of a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran. This letter called on the VA to investigate the incident and immediately terminate the employee responsible for this horrific attack. Every veteran who walks through the doors of a VA facility should be treated with the utmost respect worthy of their service to our country.
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.
- Fought against the VA’s care-restricting vaccine mandates. Rep. Roy pressed the VA to put veterans first and drop employee vaccine mandates that would restrict veterans’ access to care and increase VA wait times, particularly in rural areas.
- 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.
