Veterans & Armed Forces Archives - Congresswoman Cheri Bustos

Ensuring our National Security and Standing up for our Veterans

After more than a decade at war and with ISIS terrorists doing everything in their power to spread violence across the globe, America must be both tough and smart to ensure our national security. In order to best secure our national interests and protect the American people, as well as our allies in the international community, it is vitally important that we ensure our armed forces remain the best-trained, best-prepared and best-equipped in the world.

A strong military is in the interest of the nation as a whole, as well as our region. The Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad-Cities, the Air National Guard unit based outside Peoria, and major aerospace companies in Rockford employ many thousands across our district. That’s why I’ve made it a priority to ensure that we’re providing our military with the tools they need to succeed while positioning our region to continue to be a leader in our national defense efforts.

But, as we provide our troops with everything they need to get the job done, we must also keep our promise to our veterans who have bravely served our nation, many of whom made tremendous sacrifices on our behalf. Our veterans have earned the right to the best care and support possible as they return from battlefields overseas. This is why I strongly support providing returning service members with job training, college opportunities, and financial planning in order to help those transitioning back into our communities and the workforce. I also support fully funding veterans’ health care benefits and providing state-of-the-art care for traumatic brain injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am also working to make sure the Veterans Administration system is easy to navigate and provides veterans with the needed benefits they earned and deserve. This is why I’m making it a priority to hold the VA accountable for the quality and timeliness of the care they provide to those who have worn the uniform. To read about the current data about how our VA Health Clinics and Hospitals are performing, click here.

More on Veterans & Armed Forces

Press Release

January 16, 2019

Bustos Positioned to Fight for Region with Key Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments

Bustos Appointed to Subcommittees on Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) was named to three key subcommittees on the House Appropriations Committee. In addition to driving key priorities on infrastructure and agriculture at the full committee level, her new subcommittee […]

Press Release

December 20, 2018

Bustos Legislation to Support Gold Star Spouses Passes U.S. Senate, Heads to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON – Yesterday evening, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Congresswoman Cheri Bustos’ (IL-17) Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act to support widows and widowers of fallen soldiers, sending the bill to the President’s desk. The bill extends residential leasing protections to surviving spouses of servicemembers killed in the line of duty. The language of this legislation was included […]

Press Release

November 20, 2018

Congresswoman Bustos’ Legislation to Rename the Post Office in Alpha, Illinois after Fallen Hero Captain Joshua E. Steele Passes the Senate

Bill heads to the President’s Desk to be signed into law WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos announced that the Senate has passed her bill to designate the U.S. Post Office at 108 D Street in Alpha, Illinois, as the “Captain Joshua E. Steele Post Office.” In September, Bustos’ bill passed the House and, with […]

Press Release

September 13, 2018

Congresswoman Bustos’ Legislation to Rename the Post Office in Alpha, Illinois after Fallen Hero Captain Joshua E. Steele Passes in the House

WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives passed legislation that Congresswoman Bustos introduced to designate the U.S. Post Office at 108 D Street in Alpha, Illinois, as the “Captain Joshua E. Steele Post Office.” Captain Steele was an American hero who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 17, 2007 while serving in Operation […]