For nearly fifty years, Oregon veteran Tracy thought he had earned honors from his two tours of service in Vietnam with the U.S. Navy, but he never received them. He had been unable to find those records until my team cut through the red tape and tracked down all five of his medals. Last November, I had the honor of presenting Tracy with his ribbons, and it was a powerful moment to demonstrate in person how much our country appreciates his service.
Each of Oregon’s 284,000 veterans deserve the same respect and care. Veterans live in every community across Oregon. At least one-in-ten folks in Curry, Coos, Douglas, Lincoln, and Clatsop counties is a veteran, and Lane and Tillamook counties are close behind. During my town halls each year in all 36 Oregon counties, veterans share their stories of service, of struggles with suicide and mental health, and of the challenges in accessing health care and affordable housing in their communities.
Oregon’s veterans should be able to take full advantage of the benefits they earned serving our country. Here’s how I’m fighting to help.
As Oregon’s representative on the committee that funds the federal government, I helped pass a funding bill in March that increased funding for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which is providing more than $121 billion for medical care for the 9.1 million veterans across our country.
We know, though, there is much more work to do as Oregon has among the highest rates of veteran suicide in the nation. So, I secured $3 million specifically for the Oregon Health Authority to increase statewide awareness of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline with veterans, underserved communities, and communities of color. And I helped secure $1.84 million for three Oregon community organizations –
including the Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation, which serves folks in Tillamook, Lake, and Marion counties – to provide suicide prevention programs for veterans and support services for families.
Housing is another major challenge for veterans. Veterans can use U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to help attain permanent housing and other services – but housing vouchers are only useful if affordable housing is available in their communities, so we need to build many more homes for families across Oregon, including homes for veterans.
And we need to make sure that veterans have access to services near where they live. In June, I joined with Senator Wyden and Representative Hoyle to urge the VA to prioritize funding for the Roseburg Veterans Home. Douglas County is home to an estimated 10,000 veterans, many of whom served in the Vietnam War or earlier. Oregon is fortunate to have two high-quality, award-winning state veterans’ homes in The Dalles and in Lebanon, and I’ll keep fighting to provide the same affordable, long-term care for veterans who live far from these facilities.
In addition, I’ve led the fight in the Senate against U.S. Postal Service downgrades in Oregon because mail delays hurt veterans. The VA fills about 80 percent of its prescriptions through the mail primarily using the Postal Service, so late deliveries mean late medications for veterans.
We also need to preserve our veterans’ stories of service and heroism for future generations. My office has teamed up with the Veterans History Project, which collects unique, firsthand stories – and original memoirs, letters, and photos – of Oregon veterans from all walks of life to be preserved in the Library of Congress for future generations. I encourage all Oregon veterans to participate in this special project and share your stories. If you have questions about the project, or if you’d like to volunteer to capture veterans’ stories, please reach out to my office.
Please also reach out if you need assistance accessing vital benefits you earned. My team works closely with the VA and the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, and we can connect you with a Veterans Service Officer in your community who can provide free, high-quality assistance when filing benefits claims.
Our veterans took care of us, now we need to take care of them. I’ll keep fighting to make sure Oregon’s veterans get the benefits they have earned.
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