As a veteran of the United States Army, Congressman Ortiz is committed to providing our nation’s veterans with appropriate healthcare services and benefits. He believes it is essential that our troops are taken care of when we send them into battle and that they should not only be given the respect they deserve, but also the benefits they have been promised when they return.

Congressman Ortiz is pleased the Democratic led Congress passed the largest single increase in veterans’ healthcare funding in the agency’s seventy seven year history through the Fiscal Year 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill.  For the first time, the funding exceeds the level recommended by the Independent Budget prepared by veterans’ service organizations for VA medical care by $294 million.  Additionally, the bill focuses resources on treating mental and physical injuries like traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder, adds over 1,000 new claims processors to allow the VA to reduce the backlog of 400,000 claims, and reminds America that caring for veterans is a real cost of war.

Although Congressman Ortiz believes we will never do enough to thank those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom, he will continue his work advocating for adequate healthcare benefits and a Veterans Hospital in South Texas.  

South Texas Veterans Access to Care Act (HR 538) --Since his election to Congress, Congressman Ortiz has been the lead sponsor of legislation to build a veterans hospital in South Texas.  Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to determine, and notify Congress, whether the needs of veterans for acute inpatient hospital care in Far South Texas shall be met through: (1) a public-private venture to provide such services and long-term care to veterans in an existing facility in Far South Texas; (2) a project for construction of a new full-service, 50-bed hospital with a 125-bed nursing home in Far South Texas; or (3) a sharing agreement with a military treatment facility in Far South Texas.

Military Retiree Survivor Equity Act (HR 1927) --Congressman Ortiz is the author of this legislation to end two major inequities imposed on military retirees and survivors participating in the military Survivor Benefit Plan. First, it would end the dollar-for-dollar deduction "the widow's tax" of VA death benefits from military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities, which leaves many military widows with only a $1067 monthly annuity, even though the service directly caused the member's death. Second, it would move up the 2008 effective date of 30-year paid-up SBP coverage to 1 Oct 2007, and end disproportional financial penalties on earlier retirees, who have already paid almost 25% more in SBP premiums than post-1978 retirees will have to pay. Some 172,000 retirees would benefit from this change.  

Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act (HR 1222)--Many World War II and Korea era veterans were promised health care if they served their country honorably for a minimum of 20 years.  Unfortunately, military recruiters had no authority to make those promises and many older veterans have been waiting years for the health care they deserve.  This legislation would restore health care coverage to those retirees and their dependents.   

Home Ownership for America’s Veterans Act (HR 551)--Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the eligibility period of veterans for mortgage financing and requires annual inflation adjustments after 2010 to limits on state veteran bond amounts based on the Conventional Mortgage Home Price Index. 

Veterans Education Tuition Support Act (HR 2910)--Directs institutions of higher education to work with veterans who have been called to active duty and are enrolled in classes.

Veterans' Legislation in the 110th Congress 

FY 2008 Defense Authorization --Passed the conference report on H.R. 1585, FY 2008 Defense Authorization, which contains numerous readiness initiatives to strengthen our military, including establishing a Strategic Readiness Fund and providing needed military equipment and training for our stateside troops, and also contains a 3.5% military pay raise.

FY 2008 Defense Appropriations --Passed the conference report on H.R. 3222, FY 2008 Defense Appropriations, which includes numerous provisions to strengthen America’s military, including investing in improved military readiness; providing the strained National Guard and Reserve with needed equipment; funding a 3.5% military pay raise, larger than the President’s; upgrading military health care; and providing more support for military families.

Wounded Warriors Act --Passed H.R. 1538, Wounded Warrior Act, which responds to the Walter Reed scandal by improving the care of injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Veterans’ Suicide Prevention --Passed  the final version of H.R. 327, Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, which requires the Veterans Administration to provide training and education in suicide prevention to its staff and also authorizes a family mental illness outreach program for veterans. 

Veterans’ Cost of Living Adjustment --Passed H.R. 1284, Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, which increases, effective December 1, 2007, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the dependency and indemnity benefits for families of disabled veterans.

Disabled Veterans Memorial --Passed H.R. 995, Extending Charter for Disabled Veterans Memorial, which extends the charter for the Disabled Veterans Memorial, which expired on October 31, until 2015, allowing the time to raise the private resources and navigate the approval process to bring this memorial to life on the National Mall.

Honoring Our Fallen --Passed H.R. 692, Federal Flag Code Amendment Act, which provides that all federal buildings in a state have to comply when the governor orders the American flag lowered to half-staff in honor of soldiers killed while serving.

HEART ACT --Passed H.R. 3997, Making permanent essential tax relief for our military families, including tax relief under the Earned Income Tax Credit, incentives to make sure that reservists called up for active duty do not suffer a pay cut, and more low-interest home loans for veterans.

Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act --Passed H.R. 3793, to fully address the military bonus problems first highlighted by the Dole-Shalala Wounded Warriors Commission -- providing essential financial security to our injured men and women by guaranteeing full payment of bonuses earned and owed to them.  The bill guarantees that service members who die or are discharged for disability will not be required to repay any portion of their bonus; mandates the DoD to provide full bonuses to any service members who die or are discharged for disability; and requires bonuses to be paid within 90 days of discharge.

Helpful Links

Department of Veterans Affairs

South Texas Veterans Health Care System

American GI Forum

American Legion

Disabled American Veterans

Military Order of the Purple Heart

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Vietnam Veterans of America