Press Releases

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today hosted a community seminar at American Legion Post 354 in Midlothian to convene veterans, their families, support organizations, and community members to provide resources and discuss the challenges faced by the veterans community in Virginia’s First District. The seminar was a follow-up to a similar event the congressman hosted in Mechanicsville earlier this month.

Watch the livestream here.

“Our veterans made great sacrifices for us on the battlefield, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for that service,” said Rep. Wittman. “These heroes and their families deserve access to the highest level of care, employment and educational opportunities, and support from their community. Our veterans have earned their benefits through sacrifice, service, and hardship, and I believe they should receive the most efficient delivery of benefits possible. I remain committed to protecting these hard-earned benefits for our nation’s heroes.”

The congressman was joined by Harry Schein, veterans service representative at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, and Bill Barksdale, assistant director of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Roanoke Regional Office. 

Virginia’s First District is home to many veterans, with over 700,000 veterans residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Wittman has reintroduced multiple pieces of legislation that would remove administrative roadblocks to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services and to bring accountability to the VA by increasing transparency:

• Voted for the PACT Act

  • Expands VA health care to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service. 

  • Extends the period of time post-9/11 combat veterans have to enroll in VA health care from five to 10 years post-discharge. 

  • Requires veterans enrolled in VA health care to be screened regularly for toxic exposure related concerns.

  • Invests in VA health care facilities by authorizing 31 major medical health clinics and research facilities in 19 states.

  • Requires VA to conduct outreach to any veteran who had previously filed a claim for benefits related to toxic exposure and was denied ensuring they are aware of the opportunity to refile.

• Introduced the Veterans Collaboration Act 

  • Establishes a VA pilot program to foster collaboration between qualified non-profit veterans service organizations (VSOs) and educational institutions that provide assistance to veterans.

• Introduced the Be Ready to Assist Veterans in Extremis (BRAVE) Act

  • Creates a notification system to alert veterans of counseling and mental health options in response to crises.

  • Prioritizes privacy concerns of veterans by allowing them to opt-in to receive these notifications.

• Introduced the Veterans Choice Accountability Act

  • Expands veteran access to non-VA medical care and establishes a review of the VA’s implementation of the Veterans Choice Program.

• Introduced the Veterans Affairs Transfer of Information and Sharing of Disability Examination Procedures with DoD Doctors Act 

  • Accelerates access to care for veterans by not subjecting them to another round of medical screenings before a disability rating is issued. 

  • Requires the VA and U.S. Department of Defense to share medical and service record data electronically. 

  • By requiring that the service member's separation physical examinations conducted by military doctors be used to determine service-connected disability, we will speed access to care for veterans.

• Cosponsored the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act

  • Improves the delivery of healthcare, benefits, and services at the VA for veterans, their families, and their survivors.

  • Expands economic opportunity, modernizes the disability claims process, improves elder care, and expands mental health support.

• Cosponsored the Not Just a Number Act

  • Directs the VA to study which programs work best to stop suicide and expand upon them. 

  • Enhances accuracy of data, timely reporting of veteran suicides, and improves prevention efforts through better service delivery and the proposal of new administrative structures.

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