Democrat’s attack won’t help a single veteran get better care

PHOENIX – Democrat Richard Carmona launched a desperate negative ad today accusing Jeff Flake of voting against our nation’s veterans and servicemen and women. United States Senator John McCain, a highly-decorated Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, responded to the charge, saying:

“Dr. Carmona’s false and negative attack on Jeff Flake is exactly the kind of politics that Arizonans are sick and tired of. These kinds of attacks aren’t going to help a single Arizona veteran get better care. I’ve worked with Jeff Flake on veterans issues for 12 years, so I know first hand that his commitment to Arizona veterans is strong. I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate to further advocate for the men and women who have served our nation.”

Arizona’s Jeff Flake has a strong record of standing up for our nation’s veterans and servicemen and women, and that’s a record he will continue in the Senate. Below is a sampling of freestanding pro-veteran legislation that he has supported during his time in Congress. 

107^th Congress

·      HR 4514 – Veterans’ Major Medical Facilities Construction Act of 2002

·      HR 4085 – Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2002

·      HR 4015 – Jobs for Veterans Act

·      HR 2540 – Veterans’ Compensation Rate Amendments of 2001, a bill that increased rates of compensation for certain veterans and their dependents.

·      HR 1696 – To expedite the construction of the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia

·      HR 1291 – Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001

·      HR 811— Veterans Hospital Emergency Repair Act

·      HR 801 — Veterans’ Survivor Benefits Improvements Act of 2001

108^th Congress

·      S 1156 — Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003, an omnibus-type bill that enhanced health care authorities for veterans, authorized projects and new facilities, and enhanced personnel matters within the VA.

·      H Con Res 409 – Recognizing with humble gratitude the more than 16,000,000 veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II and the Americans whosupported the war effort on the home front and celebrating the completion of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in the District of Columbia

·      H Con Res 212 — Recognizing and Supporting the Goals and Ideals of the Year of the Korean War Veteran, and for other purposes

·      H J Res 91– Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944

·      HR 4231 — Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse Recruitment and Retention Act of 2004

·      HR 4175 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2004

·      HR 2297 – Veterans Benefits Act of 2003

·      HR 1911 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance cooperation and the sharing of resourcesbetween the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense

·      HR 1720 – Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act

·      HR 1516 — National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003, which directed the Secretary of the VA to establish six new national cemeteries.

·      HR 1460 — Veterans Entrepreneurship and Benefits Improvement Act of 2003, which would have created preferences for veteran-owned businesses within the SBA, among other provisions.

·      HR 1257 — Selected Reserve Home Loan Equity Act, which would have made permanent the authority for individuals who complete six years of service in the Selected Reserve to receive home loans guaranteed, insured, or made through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

·      HR 100 — Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which revised provisions with respect to certain civil protections and rights afforded to service members while on active-duty assignment.

109^th Congress

·      S 1235 — Veterans’ Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006

·      H Res 1070 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Members of the House should actively engage with employers and the American public at large to encourage the hiring of members and former members of the Armed Forces who were wounded in service and are facing a transition to civilian life.

·      HR 6314 — Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program Extension

·      HR 5037 — Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act, which protects funerals at national cemeteriesfrom protests.

·      HR 4843 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006

·      HR 4061 — Department of Veterans Affairs Information Technology Management Improvement Act of 2005,which would have ensured that the CIO of the VA received all proper resources for IT systems, ensuring that veterans were being served by the best technology.

·      HR 3200 — Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Enhancement Act of 2005, which made permanent authorities previously passed by Congress that increased the maximum coverage under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance and the Veterans’ Group Life Insurance programs from $250,000 to $400,000.

110^th Congress

·      H Res 1335 — Celebrating the 120-year partnership between the Government and State veterans homes

·      H Res 1291 — Expressing gratitude for the contributions of the American GI Forum on its 60th anniversary

·      H Res 1098 — Supporting the goals and ideals of the Year of the American Veteran.

·      H Res 963 — Supporting the goals and ideals of National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week, and for other purposes

·      H Res 790 — Commending the people of the State of Washington for showing their support for the needs of the State of Washington’s veterans and encouraging residents of other States to pursue creative ways to show their own support for veterans

·      H Res 680 — Condemning the actions of September 7, 2007, resulting in damage to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial

·      H Con Res 336 — Honoring the sacrifices and contributions made by disabled American veterans

·      H Con Res 5 — Latest Title: Expressing support for the designation and goals of “Hire a Veteran Week” and encouraging the President to issue a proclamation supporting those goals

·      HR 6445 — Veterans’ Health Care Policy Enhancement Act of 2008, would have enhanced several benefits for various veterans.

·      HR 5892 — Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008, the bill would have increased the number of veterans eligible for disability compensation by modifying the requirements for eligibility, and contained some other provisions.

·      HR 5856 — Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Authorization and Lease Act of 2008

·      HR 5826 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008

·      HR 4169 — American Braille Flag Memorial Act, would have authorized the Secretary of the Army to place in Arlington National Cemetery an American Braille tactile flag honoring blind members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and other Americans.

·      HR 3819 — Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2008, which would have required certain veterans to be reimbursed for the cost of emergency treatment received in a non-VA facility, and other provisions.

·      HR 2239 — Early Access to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits Act, which would have extended eligibility for vocational rehabilitation benefits to disabled servicemembers not yet discharged from the military but who are likely to be discharged because of their condition.

·      HR 2199 — Traumatic Brain Injury Health Enhancement and Long-Term Support Act of 2007

·      HR 2192 – To establish an Ombudsman within the Department of Veterans Affairs, which would have established within the VHA an Office of the Ombudsman, responsible for serving as a last resort for veterans’ health care and benefits complaints and issues that cannot be resolved at a local or regional level and maintaining a public website with contact information for each patient advocate at each VA medical center.

·      HR 1538 — Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, would have established policy for care, management, and transition of servicemembers with serious injuries or illnesses.

·      HR 1527 — Rural Veterans Access to Care Act, would have provided greater access to care forveterans in rural areas.

·      HR 1470 — Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act

·      HR 1284 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2007

·      HR 797 – Dr. James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007, which provided veterans who are blind in one eye and starting to go blind in the other eye eligibility for benefits right away, instead of waiting for them to go totally blind.

·      HR 612 — Returning Servicemember VA Healthcare Insurance Act of 2007, which would have enhanced medical care for combat veterans.

·      HR 327 — Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, this bill created policies to help deal with suicide amongst veterans.

·      HR 67 — Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2007, this bill sought to improve coordination of outreach efforts within the VA.

111^th Congress

·      S 3860 — A bill to require reports on the management of Arlington National Cemetery.

·      S 1963 — Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, which enhanced policy for caregiver support, female veterans, mental health care, and other matters.

·      H Res 1746 — Recognizing and supporting the efforts of Welcome Back Veterans to augment the services provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans’ Affairs in providing timely and world-class care for veterans and members of the ArmedForces suffering from PTSD and related psychiatric disorders

·      H Res 1385 — Recognizing and honoring the courage and sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes.

·      H Res 868 — Honoring and recognizing the service and achievements of current and former female members of the Armed Forces.

·      H Res 866 — Expressing support for designation of a National Veterans History Project Week to encourage public participation in a nationwide project that collects and preserves the stories of the men and women who served our nation in times of war and conflict

·      H Res 398 — Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift’s success.

·      H Res 360 — Urging all Americans and people of all nationalities to visit the national cemeteries,memorials, and markers on Memorial Day.

·      H Res 291 — Recognizing the crucial role of assistance dogs in helping wounded veterans live more independent lives, expressing gratitude to The Tower of Hope, and supporting the goals and ideals of creating a Tower of Hope Day.

·      H Con Res 238 — Recognizing the difficult challenges Black veterans faced when returning home after serving in the Armed Forces, their heroic military sacrifices, and their patriotism in fighting for equal rights and for the dignity of a people and a Nation

·      H J Res 80 — Recognizing and honoring the Blinded Veterans Association on its 65th anniversary of representing blinded veterans and their families.

·      HR 4810 — End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2010

·      HR 4667 — Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2010

·      HR 4505 — To enable State homes to furnish nursing home care to parents any of whose children died while serving in the Armed Forces.

·      HR 3685 — To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the main page of the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a hyperlink to the VetSuccessInternet website and to publicize such Internet website

·      HR 2990 — Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act, which would have adjusted retired military pay and grade for reserve members who are recalled to active status and who completed at least two years of service in active status, as well as other provisions.

·      HR 1293 — Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009

·      HR 1211 — Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act

·      HR 1172 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors

·      HR 1168 — Veterans Retraining Act of 2009, the bill would have provided financial assistance to unemployed veterans who were enrolled in a training program that teaches a skill that’s in demand.

·      HR 1089 — Veterans Employment Rights Realignment Act, the bill would have helped eliminate a backlog of complaints filed with the Department of Labor by veterans who lost their job because of their military service.

·      HR 1037 — Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2009, the bill would have directed the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a five-year pilot program to expand work-study opportunities for veterans.

·      HR 1016 — Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009, which authorized advanced appropriations for VA medical accounts – this will ensure that in the event of a shut down or other partisan stalling, veterans’ health care will continue.

112^th Congress

·      HR 4201 — Servicemember Family Protection Act, the bill would have amended current law to address custody issues.

·      HR 2646 — Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act of 2011

·      HR 1657 — To revise the enforcement penalties for misrepresentation of a business concern as a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans or as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans

·      HR 1627 — Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012

·      HR 1484 — Veterans Appeals Improvement Act of 2011, the bill would have established a VeteransJudicial Review Commission charged with reviewing and making recommendations to Congress to improve the appellate review process for veterans’ benefits.

·      HR 1383 — Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011, this bill corrected a serious problem related to S 3447 that would have resulted in AZ veterans having to pay more money out of pocket for their tuition.

For more information on Jeff Flake and why he’s running for the U.S. Senate, please visit his website at www.JeffFlake.com.

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