Veterans' Affairs

Congresswoman Julia Brownley issued a statement today after House passage of the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2017, which extends critical veterans programs through September 2019, including the VA’s child care pilot program, women veterans retreats pilot program, and support services for homeless veterans.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced that she will serve as co-chair of the Reinvesting in Our Returning Heroes Task Force, which the House Democratic Caucus has established to develop a jobs and economic agenda to ensure America’s veterans succeed in the job market after their service to our nation. This initiative is part of the Caucus’s Jobs for America Task Forces, a unified effort to craft a legislative agenda that will benefit hardworking Americans and middle-class families. The Caucus selected Congresswoman Brownley to co-chair the task force based on her ongoing leadership on veterans’ issues.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment offered by Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) to increase federal funding for veterans’ treatment courts. Brownley offered her amendment to the FY 2018 appropriations bill (H.R. 3354) to increase funding for these courts from $7 million to $10 million.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, hosted a roundtable discussion with female veterans and active-duty servicemembers from throughout Ventura County to discuss the needs and challenges of the increasing population of women veterans. 

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act (H.R. 95), legislation introduced by Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) to make it easier for veterans to receive healthcare. This bill makes permanent the VA’s Child Care Pilot Program and expands it so that qualified veterans who are primary caretakers have a convenient, cost-free option for child care when they have VA medical appointments.

Today, Members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) announced a bipartisan agreement to authorize 28 VA medical facility leases that have been awaiting approval for years, including a new 41,000-square foot clinic in Oxnard—an effort long spearheaded by HVAC Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Julia Brownley (D-CA). The bill also shores up an additional six months of funding for Veterans Choice, a program that allows some veterans to receive care outside the VA that was created in the wake of the Phoenix wait-time scandal. The House and Senate are each slated to take up the legislation before departing for the August District Work Period.

Today, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee passed the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act (H.R. 95), legislation authored by Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) that would make permanent the VA’s Child Care Pilot Program and expand it so that all veterans who are primary caretakers have a safe, reliable, and cost-free option for child care when they use VA healthcare.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, released a statement on the introduction of the bipartisan Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017.

Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee adopted two amendments offered by Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), which would help to prevent human trafficking and enforce veterans’ hiring preference at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The amendments were adopted as part of the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2997). At Congresswoman Brownley’s request, the bill also includes language to improve travel for veterans with disabilities.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Veterans Expanded Trucking Opportunities Act (H.R. 2547), legislation introduced by Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA) and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) that would make it easier for veterans to return to the civilian workforce by removing bureaucratic barriers to employment in the trucking industry.

By Staff Appeared Originally in The Ventura County Star A postal facility in Port Hueneme has been dedicated to fallen Seabees in honor of the Naval Construction Battalion, which marked its 75th anniversary this year. The postal facility at 560 E. Pleasant Valley Road is now the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion “Seabees” Fallen Heroes Post […]

By Cheri Carlson Originally Appeared in Ventura County Star David Stull stood in the front of a packed hall, a Purple Heart medal awarded nearly five decades after he came home from war pinned on his jacket lapel. Dozens of people were on their feet, clapping, cheering and whistling. When the room quieted down, Stull, 76, […]

Congresswoman Julia Brownley will host a dedication ceremony officially naming the federal postal facility in Port Hueneme as the “U.S. Naval Construction Battalion ‘Seabees’ Fallen Heroes Post Office Building” in honor of the Seabees during their 75th Anniversary.  Captain Chris Janke, Commanding Officer of Naval Base Ventura County, and Captain Mike Saum, Commodore of Naval Construction Group One, will also be in attendance.

Today, House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Julia Brownley met with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin to discuss their shared priorities and goals to improve VA healthcare and other VA programs that support our nation’s veterans. 

Today there are more than 200,000 women serving in active duty and the number of women veterans continues to grow. Addressing the needs of our growing population of women veterans is one of my top priorities and I am proud to support the Deborah Sampson Act that will expand VA services for women veterans including mental healthcare and peer to peer support groups.

Today, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved Congresswoman Julia Brownley’s Building Supportive Networks for Women Veterans Act (H.R. 91).

By Richard Sisk Originally Appeared on Millitary.com A partisan fight broke out in the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Friday over whether the new health care bill proposal to replace Obamacare would help or hurt vets. The Republican chairman of the committee, Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee, vehemently said the proposed bill, called the American […]

Today, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, Julia Brownley, released a statement about a provision of the House Republican’s healthcare bill that could hurt veterans and their families.