Friend,
Since I was sworn into Congress back in 2023, I’ve taken my duty to Illinois’ 13th District seriously – from working families, to educators, to farmers, and to veterans who need our support when they come home.
Click here to read my complete remarks.
I am moved by the stories I hear from veterans who struggle with the return to civilian life. Their strength and pain is unimaginable, and it’s my duty and the duty of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support them after they have made such deep sacrifices for us.
As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Women Veterans Advisory Council, one issue in particular I've heard is how navigating the VA is retraumatizing for veterans, especially those who experienced military sexual trauma.
I introduced a bipartisan bill to improve training for VA employees who handle those claims, and legislation that would require VA to conduct proactive outreach about mental health services – reducing the burden veterans face to seek out support on their own.
This work is important. But right now, these invaluable resources that give many veterans their life back are under
direct attack by the Trump Administration.
This should not be a partisan issue. But under the Trump White House’s direction, tens of thousands of VA employees are losing their jobs and taking us backwards.
I’m not standing down in this fight. We owe our veterans our deepest gratitude, and it starts by listening to them and changing the system for the better.
Thank you,
Nikki
