As a Member of Congress, advocating for veterans and their families is a top priority for Congressman Cline. His district offices help veterans with their claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and in Washington, he is always looking for new ways to do more to support those who supported us.
Throughout his tenure, Congressman Cline has strived to honor veterans by advocating for and passing legislation, some of which has been signed into law, that deals with burn pits, suicide prevention, veteran health care options, blue water navy, the widow’s tax, reserve and national guard bankruptcy, and opening up membership into the American Legion for previously disqualified veterans.
118th Congress:
H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of FY24 which provides funding for Defense Department military and family housing construction activities and remediation at closed military bases. This legislation also provides funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ veteran benefits programs, such as those related to disability and pension benefits, education, healthcare, and insurance and loan programs.
H.R. 903, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act requires the Administrator of the SBA to carry out a pilot program issuing grants to eligible Veterans to start or acquire a qualifying business, giving Veterans greater flexibility with the money they earned.
H.R. 4278, the Restore Accountability Act of 2023 helps the VA remove the small percentage of employees who are hurting veterans in weeks or months, rather than years. veterans' VA-wide trust scores increasing from 59% in 2016 to 80% in 2020.
H.R. 1282, the Major Richard Star Act provides that combat-disabled uniformed services retirees with fewer than 20 years of creditable service may concurrently receive, without reduction, veterans' disability compensation and retired pay or combat-related special compensation.
H.R. 705, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from sending information on veterans (or beneficiaries) who are assisted by a fiduciary to NICS without a judicial ruling that they are a danger to themselves or others. This would ensure that veterans are afforded the same due process that every other American receives before any action is taken that would deprive them of one of the constitutional rights that they fought to protect.
117th Congress:
H.R. 3967, the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 addresses health care, presumption of service-connection, research, resources, and other matters related to Veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service.
H.R. 8017, the VA Workforce Investment and Expansion Act of 2022 expands the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) workforce by enhancing VA hiring practices and incentives to better recruit and retain health care professionals, and strengthen veteran access to quality VA health care.
H.R. 5892, the Our Veterans Earned It Act prohibits members of the Armed Forces who refuse to receive a COVID-19 vaccination from being denied a federal benefit they are entitled to by reason of their service in the Armed Forces.
H.R. 2192, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 provides long-overdue judicial relief to victims of water contamination at Camp Lejeune.
H.R. 4471, the Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2021 requiring the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to permit a Member of Congress to use a VA facility to meet with constituents. The bill also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop regulations regarding the use of VA office space by Members of Congress, mandating that the space be made available during normal business hours and in a location that is easily accessible to the Member’s constituents.
H.R. 4433, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act requires the Administrator of the SBA to carry out a pilot program issuing grants to eligible Veterans to start or acquire a qualifying business, giving Veterans greater flexibility with the money they earned.
H.R. 1448, the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a pilot program to provide canine training to Veterans diagnosed with PTSD as an element of an integrative health program.
H.R. 2974, the Military Spouse Hiring Act expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include the hiring of a qualified military spouse.
H.R. 3674, the Vet Center Support Act directs the VA Secretary to submit to Congress a report on mental health care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs in certain States to ensure our Veterans are being properly cared for.
H.R. 2192, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 ensures that applicable individuals who resided, worked, or were otherwise exposed to government-provided tap water that was contaminated with harmful chemicals, found at levels ranging from 240 to 3,400 times levels permitted by safety standards, at Camp Lejeune from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987, could obtain appropriate relief from harm.
H.R. 1476, the PFC Joseph Dwyer Peer Support Program Act requires the VA to establish the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program to make grants to eligible entities (including (1) a nonprofit organization that has historically served the mental health needs of Veterans, (2) a congressionally chartered Veteran service organization, or (3) a state, local, or tribal Veteran service agency, director, or commissioner) for peer-to-peer mental health programs for Veterans.
116th Congress:
On July 30, 2019, I joined President Trump in the Oval Office as he signed my bill, H.R. 1641, the Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service (LEGION) Act. This bill expands American Legion membership criteria to include all honorably discharged veterans who served during unrecognized times of war.
H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act extends benefits to servicemembers that served in the territorial waters off the coast of Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange. (signed into law)
H.R. 553, the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act eliminates an unfair deduction of benefits which is placed on surviving spouses of service members when their spouse passes away during active duty.
H.R. 1381, the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act authorizes specified individuals to update the burn pit registry with the cause of death of a registered individual. (passed in the House)
H.R. 3495, the Improve Well-Being of Veterans Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to award grants for a period of three years to eligible entities for the provision of suicide prevention services to veterans and their families.
For more information concerning work and views related to Veterans issues, please contact our office.
