"You Deserve Better"
This week, the House Veterans Affairs Committee held its first oversight hearing of the 119th Congress, focused on restoring the VA’s commitment to putting veterans first in community care. The Veterans Affairs Community Care Program, created in 2018 through the VA Mission Act, intended to eliminate delays and expand access to the benefits veterans have earned. During the hearing, we heard heartbreaking testimony from veterans and families who still face barriers to timely, quality healthcare. Their stories reminded me of the struggles faced by veterans in the CNMI, who deserve so much more for their service. The CNMI is the only place in the nation without a full VA clinic, and we rely on part-time healthcare services—forcing many veterans to travel off-island to receive care. This puts them in the impossible position of choosing between getting the care they need and living the lives they want. I raised these concerns with the Committee, emphasizing that the system of care for veterans nationwide is so inadequate that expanding services to underserved areas like the CNMI remains a challenge. Our veterans have already fought for us; they should not have to fight for lifesaving services. We must do better—for veterans in the CNMI and across the country.