Lawmakers, government officials and advocacy groups said Wednesday that veterans issues must continue on a bipartisan path until January, when a new Washington emerges after the 2024 elections that win three Republican positions in the federal government. He said it would not be possible.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told The Hill's Bob Cusack at a Voices of Veterans event in Washington, D.C. He said the group remains focused on bipartisanship.
“Of all the places we should be bipartisan, it would be the Veterans Affairs Committee, and there are very few issues that should divide us across party lines,” he said.
Moran said his focus is on several veterans issues, including expanding access to care for people living in rural areas, increasing the number of mental health professionals and solving budget issues at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). said.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a Marine Corps veteran, has some concerns about President-elect Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense, Fox News personality Pete Hegseth. But he said that was not the case. In connection with Veterans Affairs.
“He cares about veterans,” Moulton said at the event. “Obviously Pete is a guy who cares about veterans.”
Hegseth previously served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.
Moulton also said he is concerned about President Trump's treatment of veterans.
“As our senior military advisers have made clear to us, there is a clear lack of respect for veterans, and some Republicans want to ignore that,” Trump said. “No, that's just a fact. He has no respect for veterans, especially wounded veterans.
“So at a fundamental level, the commander in chief doesn't respect veterans, but he has some advisors around him who do,” Moulton added.
Moulton, who himself struggled with mental health after years of service, said he is aware of the many issues affecting veterans that still need to be addressed, including higher rates of suicide and homelessness among veterans compared to the rest of the U.S. population. He pointed out that there are some long-standing problems.
The Veterans Administration is also looking to bipartisan efforts. “One thing we can all agree on in this town is that veterans issues should be bipartisan,” said Terrence Hayes, a Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman.
“No matter who would imagine that, [next VA] After this, my prayer is that they continue that belief and everything they do focuses on veterans and surviving families,” Hayes said at the event.
Hispanic voters helped Trump win on Election Day. But Raul Vargas, president, CEO and founder of the U.S. Latino Veterans Association, said it's important for both parties to conduct “year-round engagement” with their constituents. said.
“It's important that we find ways to address issues of concern throughout the year, not just during the next election,” he said.
One of Vargas' top priorities is making sure veterans outside the VA have access to support.
“The challenge is people who are not tied to the system, and that's part of my population,” he said. “Once you're out there, it's even harder to come back and try to reap the benefits. It's incredibly cumbersome. So there has to be a better way to make it easier.”
