Veterans

Working for veterans is one of Senator Murray’s top priorities in the Murray Introduces Bi-Partisan Comprehensive Veterans Employment BillSenate.  As the daughter of a disabled World War II veteran and as a college intern at the Seattle VA psychiatric ward, Patty Murray knows personally the sacrifice that military service demands, and she knows personally the sacrifices that we all need to make for our veterans. 

Senator Murray is Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and is a member of the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs.  She has used these positions everyday to fight for the needs of veterans.

Senator Murray has been a tireless advocate for veterans, fighting for increased funding for veterans health care, increased benefits, housing assistance, new veterans clinics throughout Washington state, and accountability from the VA.  She has fought for increased education benefits, expanded employment assistance, and reduced wait times for veterans with pending claims.

In this time of war, Senator Murray believes Congress and the VA must stand by the side of our veterans and wounded warriors when they return home, and work to make sure they get the care and support they deserve.

If you need assistance in dealing with the VA, we can help.

Priorities
  • Increasing funding and increasing access for veterans’ health care.
  • Bringing attention to the issues faced by women veterans, and offering solutions and resources to address these issues.
  • Improving access and increasing funding for veterans’ benefits.
  • Helping homeless veterans find sustainable housing.
  • Bringing more clinics and services closer to Washington state veterans.
  • Improving employment assistance and job training services to help veterans get good jobs.
  • Expanding educational opportunities for veterans.
  • Pushing to expand VA care and services in Washington state, in particular to Omak, Colville and Republic.

Accomplishments

  • Increased funding for veterans’ health care, including care for conditions like Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
  • Introduced the landmark Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010 to improve job training, placement and employment opportunities for veterans.  
  • Lead the effort to pass the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 to make the VA more responsive and prepared to care for women veterans. 
  • Passed the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act to improve coordination of care for servicemembers transitioning from the military to the VA. 
  • Helped pass the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act, which improves the VA’s suicide prevention measures.  
  • Drastically expanded access to housing for homeless veterans by providing funding for the Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH).
  • Fought to bring VA health care closer to Washington state residents, including Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) in Mt. Vernon, Wenatchee and Chehalis, a “virtual” clinic in Port Angeles, and a Vet Center in Everett.
  • Championed veterans in southeast Washington by preventing the closure of the Walla Walla VA Medical Center and fighting to fund a new Walla Walla Veterans Nursing Home.
  • Prevented the closure of VA medical facilities at American Lake and Vancouver to keep VA health care for local veterans.