Veteran Affairs

The reimplementation of horse-drawn carriage funerals at Arlington National Cemetery has been continually delayed after two male horses died from poor living conditions in 2022 and progress in acquiring and caring for new animals has been slow. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL), who co-chairs the Animal Protection Caucus, is calling for a bipartisan review of the […]

Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) have introduced a bill improving the recruitment and retention of staff for the Board of Veterans' Appeals. This would, in turn, increase the Board's timeliness and ability to process claims. The Board, as described by their website, is charged with assisting veterans in making appeals claims and […]

As adviser to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on veterans issues, Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) told The Floridian in a recent interview that there is a clear difference in the priority by which veterans are treated between the Trump Administration and the Biden-Harris Administration, slamming the latter for "doing everything they possibly can to eliminate community care." […]

Medicare and Veterans Affairs rarely coordinate, making providing care to elderly and disabled veterans on both programs more of a hassle than it should be. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (R-FL) have introduced a bipartisan bill to create case managers for these veterans, streamlining and personalizing the processes. Named the "Coordinating Care for […]

Representatives Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Eli Crane (R-AZ) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as well as U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commandant Linda Fagan surrounding the USCG’s implementation and adherence to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. The congressman stated this letter comes in response to the Coast […]

In August of 2021, the botched Afghanistan withdrawal left 13 United States servicemembers dead at Abbey Gate and billions of dollars in equipment stranded for terrorist groups to use. Republican legislators from Florida and Texas shared their disdain with President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), not only for how they handled […]

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) has endorsed U.S. House District 25 hopeful Bryan Leib (R).  Leib is running against Christopher Eddy and Rubin Young in the primary election, and could face off withincumbent Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) in the general election. Rep. Mast’s approval joins a flurry of influential political figures including two Members of […]

Recently the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA FY25) passed the U.S. House. 18 of Representative Vern Buchanan’s (R-FL) amendments passed in the lower chamber. These bills vary from veteran care to supporting Israel to monitoring China’s use of artificial intelligence (AI). Rep. Buchanan provided a statement after his amendments gained approval from his colleagues […]

Representatives Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Colin Allred (D-TX) have come together in a bipartisan fashion to introduce the Informing Veterans on Education for Transition for Servicemembers (VETS) Act, a bill that attempts to inform former members of the U.S. military of the benefits they’ve earned as they move past their career in the Service. Rep. […]

WASHINGTON— In a recent interview with The Floridian, Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) expressed interest in becoming  Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) in President Donald Trump's second term in office, if he defeats President Joe Biden in November. Rep. Mast initially discussed fixing issues within the VA, such as vacancies for hospital directors, nurses, and physical […]

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) – a U.S. Army combat veteran – is demanding answers from Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough after receiving calls from other veterans claiming they’ve lost access to their mental health physicians. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been a major concern for military personnel since it was recognized by the American […]

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, better known as DEI, has been scrutinized by Republicans, who allege that such a system does the opposite of its intended purpose in practice. The latest instance appeared in Veterans Affairs facilities, where race-based support groups and workshops exclude white veterans. As a result, Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) recently wrote letters […]

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) is looking for accountability for the failures at the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital after a series of terribly unfortunate events occurred there. The Florida congressman is calling for new leadership of the medical center. This includes a homicide that happened at the hospital, and according to Rep. Mast, […]

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) has introduced legislation known as the No Funds for Gaza Act which would “prevent the [Biden] Administration from building in, or spending U.S. taxpayer dollars to rebuild, the Gaza Strip.” This comes after the Biden administration announced that it will task the U.S. military to build an “emergency” naval port in the Gaza […]

Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) announced that he and his team rescued a group of 10 Americans from the “Have Faith Orphanage” in Haiti on Monday. In a statement, Rep. Mills exclaimed that President Joe Biden (D) has shown a “clear pattern of abandonment” after he and his team rescued Americans on their own. I am […]

Before the State of the Union address from President Joe Biden (D) on March 7, Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) announced that his guest for the event would be Steve Nikoui, the Gold Star father of Marine Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui. Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui was one of the 13 U.S. servicemembers who died amidst the […]

“At least 400 veterans who served in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ) have now developed cancer, heart disease, or other healthy issues consistent with herbicide exposure."

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) has introduced a bill to name the West Palm Beach VA (Veterans Affairs) medical center as the “Thomas H. Corey Health Care System of West Palm Beach.” According to Rep. Mast’s press release, Thomas H. Corey was a decorated Vietnam War Veteran and a veteran’s rights advocate for many years. The […]