“When I’m President, I will continue this work and this record. I will summon the resources and will of this nation to give our veterans the gold standard health care, earned benefits, and support they deserve. Our veterans have served America – and it is time that America served our veterans. I will start first by ensuring that my Veterans Affairs Department is on your side. And that my VA Secretary is a true veterans’ advocate who understands the problems of our veterans. I’m not going to have a Secretary of Veterans Affairs – I’m going to have a secretary for veterans, someone who will be qualified and committed and dedicated every single day to help our veterans. I will also work to guarantee funding for VA health. It is outrageous that veterans have to come every year to the Congress begging for the money they need to get the health care they deserve. We’re going to work toward mandatory funding and end the yearly budgets.”
– Hillary Clinton, August 20, 2007
Passed legislation helping families care for veterans with traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hillary Clinton introduced the Heroes at Home Act of 2006 to help family members care for veterans that return home with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries. Clinton successfully fought to include an important part of that bill — funding for community-based programs that provide readjustment and mental health assistance to National Guard members, Reservists, and their families – into the Department of Defense Appropriations bill enacted in September, 2006. With the help of the Wounded Warrior Project, the National Military Family Association, the Military Officers Association of America, and the American Academy of Neurology, Clinton introduced the Heroes at Home Act of 2007 to build on that previous work.
Worked to increase the survivor benefits for military families from $12,000 to $100,000.
Hillary Clinton worked with Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate to try to increase the benefits to family survivors of our nation’s veterans. Clinton joined with then-Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) on the Military Survivor Benefit Improvement Act of 2005. Remarking on the importance of the bill, Clinton said America owes “our young men and women in uniform a tremendous debt of gratitude and they should rest assure that if something happens to them on the front lines, their families will be taken care of financially. This bill will ensure that our service members’ next-to-kin receive the benefits they deserve.”
Teamed up with Republicans to expand health care for National Guard members and reservists.
Hillary Clinton worked with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to provide full military health benefits to National Guard members and reservists. Clinton noted that she and Graham worked for four years on that mission, even though “many people thought I would never talk to Lindsey Graham, let alone work with him… So Senator Graham and I said we’re going to make sure that if you’re a National Guard or Reserve member, you will have access to health care and you’ll be part of this great American military from the very beginning. We will take care of you and your families.” Senator Graham praised Clinton’s “longstanding commitment to ensuring that members of our National Guard and Reserve and their families have access to the health care benefits they need and deserve.”
Authored a new G.I. Bill of Rights to help veterans adjust and re-enter the workforce after deployment.
Hillary Clinton introduced the 21st Century G.I. Bill of Rights to help veterans achieve their American dream through educational opportunities, a new veteran-specific micro-loan program, and an expanded home loan program. Clinton said she took “tremendous personal pride in the fact that the VFW has endorsed” the legislative package. Describing the new G.I. Bill of Rights, Clinton said it “provides educational opportunities – from college, to trade and technical training, to certification and licensing programs. It expands opportunities for veterans to buy, build, repair and improve their homes. It creates a Veterans Micro-loaning Program to provide loans up to $100,000 at very low interest rates and without collateral, so that veterans can start their own small businesses.”
Fought to expand retirement pay and disability compensation for veterans disabled during their service.
Hillary Clinton cosponsored the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007. This legislation sought to expand retirement pay and disability compensation for all of America’s veterans disabled in the service of their country.
Expanded the Family and Medical Leave Act to families of wounded service members.
The defense authorization bill enacted in 2008 included legislation introduced by Senator Chris Dodd and Senator Clinton to allow families of wounded service members to take up to six months unpaid leave to care for their wounded family member. Clinton cosponsored similar legislation in 2003 and 2005.
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