Providing for our nation’s armed forces, both veterans and active duty should be a top priority for our leaders. Unfortunately, they are often overlooked. As a Navy veteran, I know firsthand the difficulties our men and women in uniform face. In Congress, I will work to expand and improve our VA care facilities that provide life-saving services throughout Kansas and the country. I will support medical marijuana as a treatment for our veterans who self-medicate with opioids, alcohol, and other dangerous substances. I will fight to enhance the military child tax credit so that our young military families can make ends meet when they are stationed in areas without much economic opportunity. I will push to pass legislation enhancing health care services and disability benefits for many vets exposed to toxic substances in Iraq and Afghanistan. I and I will advocate to allow Tricare dependents to stay on their parent’s policy until they are 26 without a premium increase – just like the children of civilians.

I know that transitioning away from active duty can be challenging. That is why I will work to make sure that if you receive training for a skill in the military, it will transition over to civilian life – allowing our veterans to qualify for work that will support their families. I will never stop fighting to ensure that hardworking military families like mine receive all the benefits they have earned by putting their lives on the line for our country.