Western New York is home to thousands of men and women who serve in our nation's Armed Forces. They are stationed in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and in military bases throughout the world. These brave men and women, and the 2.6 million Americans who serve in the active-duty military, National Guard, and reserves, deserve all the support and resources they need to perform their duties as safely as possible. The debt we owe to our servicemen and women can never be fully repaid - they protect our shores, our families, and our democratic ideals.  We must use all available resources to ensure that our Armed Services’ men and women are the best trained, prepared, and protected they can possibly be while fighting abroad, and that when they return home, they are honored not just by our words, but by our actions.

 

 

Western New York is home to a large number of our nation’s veterans.  In the 27th Congressional District alone, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) serves approximately 23,000 veterans, while another 35,000 veterans in the district are eligible to receive care.  Our nation should prioritize honoring those who have served to protect our lives and our freedom not just on Veterans Day, but throughout the year.  Congress can do its part by keeping its promise to fully fund healthcare for our nation’s veterans.  Brian supports making funding for the Veterans Health Administration mandatory, which would reduce the significant mismatch between the demand for VA services and available funding that occurs each year due to the annual discretionary appropriations process.

 

Brian is also a strong supporter of the veterans and military service organizations (VSOs and MSOs) that defend the interests of American veterans.  Since the 1950’s, these groups have met at the annual joint hearings of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees to discuss their legislative priorities with Congress.  When House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Steven Buyer unilaterally decided to discontinue these hearings, Brian drafted and sent a letter (signed by 56 Democratic colleagues and supported by the American Legion, DAV and VFW) to the Speaker of the House requesting that he actively encourage Chairman Buyer to rescind his decision. 

 

Additionally, Brian opposes the Administration’s yearly plan to raise fees and co-payments for veterans who use the VA for healthcare.  Brian also opposes the VA’s freeze on enrolling or treating Priority 7 and Priority 8 veterans; these men and women were guaranteed a healthcare benefit when they went and served our country and they should not be denied that benefit when they most need it.  Brian hopes to continue to host veterans’ roundtables in the district, to join resources in fighting for veterans’ needs in Congress and to make available his casework staff to resolve any conflicts constituents have with the VA.