We are facing serious threats both abroad and at home, and nothing is more important than keeping our country safe. We must work to repair our reputation and secure our alliances. And we must maintain our focus on stopping terrorist and other threats at home and around the globe, including providing law enforcement the resources and training needed to prevent terrorism.
At the same time, we must prioritize support for our men and women who serve us in our military. Our troops put their lives on the line every day, and they deserve a government that honors them and the sacrifices they make for us all. This includes taking all necessary steps to protect them abroad and making sure that they are supported at home. We must ensure their access to quality health care, educational opportunities, claim resolution, and housing.
In Congress, I have worked to strengthen our national security and restore America’s leadership in the world. In supporting the National Defense Authorization Act, I supported our troops and national defense, including the largest pay raise for our troops in a decade. I introduced the Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities (AUTO) for Veterans Act to help disabled veterans access vehicles modified for their disabilities. I have also supported legislation in the House to expand job training opportunities for veterans, to ensure pay parity for the Coast Guard, and to discharge education loan debt for veterans. I was also proud to support the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which is the biggest expansion of benefits and services for veterans exposed to toxins in more than 30 years.
I have also worked to protect those who have provided vital support to U.S. missions, including Afghan interpreters, contractors, and security personnel. I co-sponsored and voted for the Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs (ALLIES) Act of 2021 to increase visa caps for Afghan interpreters and expedite the visa process, as well as the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021, both of which passed the House on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis.
In working to defend democracy, I voted for the Funding for the People Act and the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act to provide critical military aid and humanitarian assistance to defend against President Putin’s war on Ukraine. I have and will continue to support sanctions against Russia for its unprovoked, unjustified, and unconscionable war against Ukraine.
The January 6 attack was an unprecedented and unimaginable attack on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country. We must not allow anyone to rewrite history or diminish the gravity of what took place that day. Our democracy remains at risk and we must do all we can to ensure such an assault on our democracy never happens again.