Veterans' Affairs

Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., has introduced legislation to overturn the new restrictions. The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act would guarantee veterans and their eligible family members “a protected legal right” to receive abortion services from the VA. The bill has collected 118 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

“The Trump administration’s dangerous decision to roll back VA’s already limited abortion access is clearly driven by politics, not patient care,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the reintroduction of the Gold Star Siblings Educational Benefits Act, legislation that would extend educational benefits to the surviving siblings of fallen or permanently disabled servicemembers and veterans who are unmarried and without children.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the reintroduction of the Supporting Military Families Exposed to Toxic Substances Act, legislation to extend U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care benefits to eligible military and veteran family members exposed to toxic substances. Specifically, the bill would provide VA health care to family members and other individuals who lived or worked at certain military facilities and have been diagnosed with a presumptive service-connected disability resulting from toxic exposure.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell sent a letter to American Battle Monuments Commission Chairman Michael X. Garrett expressing concern about the removal of two displays focused on Black American soldiers from the visitor center at the Netherlands American Cemetery.

On this day and every day, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our veterans and their families for their extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and service to our country. More than 40,000 veterans and their loved ones call Ventura County and the Conejo Valley home, and I am proud to work on their behalf in Congress. Honoring our veterans is a responsibility that never ends, and neither does the work to ensure they receive the care, benefits, and support they have earned.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the reintroduction of four bills to expand and improve health care, housing, and support services for our nation’s veterans. The bills include the Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act, the Have You Served Act of 2025, the Every Veteran Counts Act, and the Helping Homeless Veterans Act.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan announced the reintroduction of a bipartisan resolution recognizing September 25 as Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day, underscoring the urgent need to confront the issue of military sexual trauma (MST), which affects both women and men within the Armed Forces. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and fellow Democratic colleagues have urged the Trump administration to rescind its proposed rule to reinstate a near-total ban on abortion care and abortion counseling at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a longtime champion for women veterans’ healthcare, Brownley participated in multiple efforts to underscore the dangers of the rule.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, Congressman Mark Takano, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and fellow committee members Chris Pappas, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Morgan McGarvey, Delia Ramirez, Nikki Budzinski, Tim Kennedy, Maxine Dexter, Herb Conaway, Jr., and Kelly Morrison issued the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it would terminate collective bargaining agreements for most VA bargaining-unit employees.

Democrats have raised concerns that broadening access to community care will effectively lead eventually to the privatization of the VA by depriving the Veterans Health Administration of funds needed to support the department’s own medical facilities and to provide quality care. “Under this administration, we are seeing a chaotic approach to delivering veterans’ health care that undercuts VA’s internal capacity, shifts more and more care to the community, and leaves veterans and VA employees in the lurch,” said Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee during a July 15 hearing on community care.

In direct response to the Trump administration’s proposed rule to roll back abortion access for veterans, Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the introduction of the Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act, which would guarantee that veterans and eligible dependents have the right to receive abortion care, medication, and counseling through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), without interference from political appointees or partisan agendas and protected by law.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the introduction of the Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act, legislation to ensure surviving spouses of veterans are not unfairly denied benefits due to outdated marriage laws.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley introduced the Loved Ones Interment Act, a bill that ensures that veterans can be laid with their loved ones in national or veterans cemeteries.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, and Congressman Morgan McGarvey reintroduced the Improving Veterans Experience Act, a bill to codify the Veterans Experience Office (VEO) within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Established in 2015, the VEO gathers feedback directly from veterans, their families, and caregivers on their experience with VA and incorporates the information to improve services.

Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., questioned why VA supervisors were asked to sign nondisclosure statements and why spyware was installed on some staff computers. Collins said it is necessary to monitor office communications to ‘‘keep sensitive information internal” as he develops a reorganization plan for the agency.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, hosted a roundtable to hear from local veterans about the impacts they’re experiencing related to workforce cuts in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the reintroduction of the CHAMPVA Children’s Care Protection Act, legislation to ensure children of disabled veterans can remain eligible for VA health care until age 26, the same coverage already provided under the Affordable Care Act for private-sector insurance plans and the military’s TRICARE program.