Supporting Veterans, Servicemembers, and Military Families

Supporting veterans and military families is one of my top priorities in Congress. Across the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, we are home to thousands of veterans, active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, and military families who have sacrificed for our country and deserve strong support in return. My work on behalf of those who serve began long before I came to Congress. As a Pennsylvania State Representative, I authored the law creating Pennsylvania’s Startups for Soldiers program, which waived certain state business and licensing fees for servicemembers transitioning into the civilian workforce.

In Congress, I’ve continued building on that work by introducing and supporting legislation improving veterans’ access to care, reducing rates of veteran suicide, fully funding veterans’ services, and helping military families manage the everyday challenges that come with service.

This work includes:

Introducing legislation to improve veterans’ access to health care and mental health services
Working to help identify veterans at risk of suicide and connect them with support earlier
Supporting military families through expanded access to school meals, diapers, and fertility care
Protecting military and Coast Guard pay during government funding gaps
Improving transparency and accountability within the Department of Veterans Affairs

Improving Veterans' Access to Care

One of the most important issues we face is ensuring veterans can access care quickly and receive support before problems become crises. That’s why I introduced the Data-Driven Suicide Prevention and Outreach Act, which helps the VA develop better tools to identify veterans who may be at risk of suicide and connect them with care earlier while protecting veterans’ privacy.

I also introduced the Improving Veteran Access to Care Act after hearing directly from veterans in our community about the challenges they faced scheduling appointments and accessing timely care through the VA. This legislation is focused on modernizing the VA appointment scheduling process, improving staff training, and reducing delays that too many veterans continue to face when trying to access health care services.

Honoring Veterans and Supporting Military Families

Since taking office, we’ve worked to support veterans and military families beyond health care. This includes introducing legislation requiring greater transparency and reporting from the National Cemetery Administration so families have better access to information about veterans cemetery services and projects.

In addition, I’ve cosponsored legislation to protect veterans from scams and fraud, ensure veterans’ death certificates are processed in a timely manner for grieving families, and recognize the sacrifices made by Gold Star families.

I’ve also supported legislation to help military families with everyday costs and challenges, including bills expanding access to school meals, diaper assistance programs, and IVF and fertility treatment coverage for servicemembers and their families. I’ve additionally supported legislation ensuring troops and Coast Guard servicemembers continue receiving pay during government funding delays.

We also passed and enacted the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, delivering stronger support for the men and women who serve and their families. The law includes:

3.8 percent pay raise for servicemembers
$491 million for childcare centers and family support programs
$1.4 billion to improve barracks and military family housing
$147 million for new schools serving military children
Expanded mental health services