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

September 10, 2019

PHOTOS: BUSTOS WELCOMES VETERANS FROM PEORIA HONOR FLIGHT TO WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) greeted veterans from Peoria’s Honor Flight as they prepared to visit the Lincoln Memorial. The veterans welcomed to our nation’s capital today served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. More than 70 veterans attended the trip. The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization committed […]

Press Release

September 4, 2019

BUSTOS STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT’S PLAN TO DEFUND CRITICAL MILITARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

MOLINE – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) – a member of both the House Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense and Military Construction – released the following statement after President Trump announced his plans to defund $3.6 billion in military construction projects: “The president’s plan to steal billions of dollars from our military undermines their ability to […]

Press Release

August 8, 2019

BUSTOS URGES VA TO ACT ON AGENT ORANGE CLAIMS

MOLINE – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, raised the concerns of local veterans regarding the implementation of Agent Orange presumption for Blue Water Navy veterans in a letter to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie. Specifically, Congresswoman Bustos called […]

Press Release

July 24, 2019

PHOTOS: BUSTOS HELPS PASS THE LEGION ACT

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) – a member of the House Appropriations Committee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs – helped pass the LEGION Act, which extends American Legion membership eligibility to honorably discharged veterans who served in unrecognized times of war since World War II. The American Legion is a congressionally chartered […]