Brown unveils key prorities to support veterans, families

COLUMBUS--Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) today unveiled a list of key priorities for pro-veteran policy reforms. Joined by a group of Columbus-area veterans and their family members at the Franklin County Veterans Memorial Commission, Brown discussed Congress's obligation to live up to its responsibilities to veterans.

"On Memorial Day, as we honor those who gave their lives, we must commit to honoring the service of Ohio veterans," Brown said. "It is time to live up to our commitments to those who have risked so much to serve our country. This is not a Democratic issue, this is not a Republican issue - this is an American issue."

Brown highlighted the need for immediate action in five core areas:

*  Health care. The VA health care system must be fully funded. Congress should enhance VA mental health care, and abolish the "disabled veterans tax," which cuts pensions for those on disability pay.

*  Education. Congress should pass the "GI Bill for the 21st Century," which would cover the full cost of tuition and fees for those who enlist for four years of active-duty service and help vets buy homes.

*  Credit security. In light of the theft of 26.5 million veterans' personal information, veterans should receive free credit reports and monitoring. Congress should ensure that the government will cover any costs from identity theft resulting from the incident, and investigate how to secure veterans' data.

*  Children and families. Businesses who continue to pay service members serving extended tours should be supported with tax cuts. Reservists and Guardsmen should be allowed to enroll their families in the TRICARE health program for a low monthly fee.

*  Widows and survivors. The "Military Families Tax," which reduces survivor benefits for family members of those who die of service-related injuries, should be repealed.

"We cannot forget the sacrifices made by the families of service members," Brown said. "The husbands, wives, and children of those who wear our country's uniform are heroes as well. They deserve our full support - including health care and the survivor benefits so many depend on."

Brown called for Congress to provide proper resources for the VA health system.

"For hundreds of thousands of Ohio veterans, the VA system is a lifeline," Brown said. "We should put mandatory funding levels in place, so that VA will always have enough resources to provide the care that veterans deserve."

Brown also called for Congress to revamp bankruptcy laws to protect the millions of veterans whose personal information was recently stolen.

"No veteran should have to worry about identity theft," Brown said. "We must move quickly to protect veterans' financial security, monitoring for suspicious activity and covering any costs."

Brown is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Mike DeWine.