Wishing our veterans and their families a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thank you for your service and the sacrifices you made together for this country. - @repmarktakano.bsky.social

Trump's VA just banned abortion care for veterans—even in cases of rape, incest, or threats to health. This is cruel, and dangerous.

Unfilled roles ≠ unnecessary roles An excess of unfilled roles means an agency can’t attract enough talent. By eliminating unfilled roles, VA is forcing its valuable employees to do more with even less, putting them on the fast track to failure & burnout, while vets face worse healthcare outcomes.

Just testified to @democrats-veterans.house.gov on my legislation to support our nation’s veterans. From improving the VA’s maternity care programs, to making sure veterans have better access to preventative health care services, I’m committed to fulfilling our nation’s promise to our veterans.

Speaker Johnson must bring the discharge petition vote to the floor TODAY before he calls for recess. We believe in healthcare for veterans over tax breaks for billionaires. Congress should cut costs, not raise them.

Veterans deserve answers—but VA is choosing to remain silent. During this week's Economic Opportunity hearing, @ramirez.house.gov highlighted the 75,000 payment delays to veterans, their dependents, and survivors. VA came but failed to answer any substantive questions.

Instead of finding a bipartisan solution, Republicans are ending ACA subsidies for millions of Americans, including 1M+ veterans. Everyone deserves affordable healthcare.

RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social joined @houseagdems.bsky.social for their Member Day to discuss recent "devastating SNAP cuts". Listen as he shares one of his constituents' personal stories:

I just introduced the Bipartisan IVF for Military Families Act with Reps. Nick LaLota, Jen Kiggans, and Chrissy Houlahan as a new, standalone, *bipartisan* bill to expand TRICARE coverage of IVF for service members and their dependents. We won’t stop fighting for this!

"You cannot claim to support veterans while cutting the dedicated staff who care for them. You cannot claim to support veterans while delaying their benefits. You cannot claim to support veterans while ignoring the concerns raised by members of this committee." - @reptimkennedy.bsky.social

75,000 veterans, dependents, and survivors were left waiting in the dark due to VAs lack of communication and failure to issues GI Bill Payments on time. @repchrispappas.bsky.social is extremely disappointed in VA's response—and he's demanding answers.

🚨STARTING SOON: At 10:15 AM ET, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity will hold an Oversight Hearing titled "Detrimental Delays: Reviewing Payment Failures in VA’s Education Programs". To listen to RM @repchrispappas.bsky.social deliver his opening remarks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsF2...

During the government shutdown VA failed to deliver mandatory benefits to 75,000 veterans, their dependents & survivors. VA officials chose not to inform or communicate with anyone who was impacted. This is inexcusable behavior & VA must have answers ready at tomorrow's hearing: tinyurl.com/39usaujh

Starting at 3:00 PM ET, the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization will hold an Oversight Hearing titled, "Ready, Set, Go-Live: Assessing VA's EHR Modernization Deployment Readiness". To watch RM @budzinski.house.gov deliver her opening remarks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC6l...

TONIGHT, tune in at 6:30 PM ET! Watch Ranking Member @repmarktakano.bsky.social and @natashazouves.bsky.social discuss NDAA and the importance of delivering for veterans who faced toxic exposure at Area 51.

Last week, @susielee.house.gov fought for Area 51 veterans who sacrificed their lives for classified missions. This week, a provision to finally help them was pulled from the NDAA by Republicans. This is not how we thank these brave men and women for their service.

The NDAA should invest in our military, not target minority communities for exclusion. While we're grateful that most anti-LGBTQI+ provisions were removed, the GOP kept one anti-trans provision in the final bill—and that's one too many. We're committed to repealing it.

Last week, I joined the @democrats-veterans.house.gov to speak about how claim sharks take advantage of veterans who need help and what my bill — the SAVE Act — would do to fix the accreditation process.

STARTING at 2:15 PM ET, the Subcommittee on Health will hold an Oversight Hearing titled, "Putting Families First: Strengthening CHAMPVA for Survivors and Dependents." To listen to RM @juliabrownley.house.gov's opening remarks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=raVT...

Veterans shouldn't face impossible healthcare choices. Republicans: time is running out. Where is your plan to protect these families?

We're fighting for the preservation of veterans' benefits.

"Every veteran, and when I say EVERY, I mean EVERY woman veteran, EVERY veteran of color, EVERY transgender veteran, EVERY immigrant veteran, and EVERY disabled veteran MUST receive the high-quality VA healthcare that they have earned." - @repdexteror.bsky.social

During a hearing on HR 6047, RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social confirmed with VA: VA Home Loan fee waivers aren't for vacation homes. Servicemembers, veterans, and their families are in the business of moving frequently. Limiting disabled veterans to a one-time use of a fee waiver doesn't add up.

"Big health insurers have found a nifty way to make an estimated $100 billion profit off veterans & taxpayers: they collect premiums, but taxpayers cover the cost of care...Taxpayers, our veterans, & those at VA dedicated to serving them deserve better.” - @doggett.house.gov Our solution: HR 4077

On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the 2,403 Americans who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social & @democrats-veterans.house.gov commemorate them and the bravery of all who answered the call to serve our nation following that day.

"These veterans have already paid the cost." - RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social

Like @repgregstanton.bsky.social - ending veteran homelessness is our top priority. We know what works to get & keep veterans housed. But Trump isn't following the formula for success. He's changing course and criminalizing homelessness. This will result in one thing: more homeless veterans.

Thank you to all the @housedemocrats.bsky.social who came out this morning to advocate for the veterans in their districts during our 119th Member Day Hearing. This work never ends, and we all must work together to deliver real results for our nation's veterans.

At HVAC’s Economic Opportunity Subcommittee’s oversight hearing on Tuesday, I pressed the Executive Director of VA Education Services about the department’s failure to pay out education benefits to an estimated 75,000 veterans, family members, and survivors.

"Until veteran benefits are exempt from austerity measures, all VSOs will be required to choose between interests that conflict with one another." - The American Legion

"So we’re clear about how this would play out, under this bill, 3.2 million [current] veterans, and countless more going forward, would face higher costs just to use their earned home loan benefit." -RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social

Don't buy a false narrative. Listen up 🔊 @budzinski.house.gov

🚨 STARTING at 9:30 AM ET: House members are set to discuss veteran issues from across the country during the 119th Member Hearing Day. Watch live: youtube.com/live/qDQiJjF...

"We cannot endorse a precedent that makes disabled veterans pay and fundamentally changes how veteran benefits are valued, accessed, and protected. Honor the contract, protect the integrity of the VA Home Loan program, and protect the benefits that veterans have earned." - @VFW

Unions = Accountability at VA Accountability at VA = better veteran care Better veteran care = A VA for ALL veterans It's really that simple. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

When this Admin and the Majority want to move a priority, they have accepted hundreds of billions of dollars of deficit spending. Yet they’re trying to force disabled veterans to pay for these $7 billion in benefits. This is false scarcity at its finest. Veterans shouldn't stand for it.

If catastrophically disabled veterans and survivors aren't worth taxpayer dollars, who is?

STARTING SOON: At 10:15 AM, the Full Committee will conduct a legislative hearing on the following bills: 👉H.R.6047, the “Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2025”, 👉H.R. 4077, the “GUARD Veterans’ Health Care Act".

RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social supports expanding veterans' benefits. But there is no reason that disabled veterans should have to pay for them by losing the benefits they've earned through their service and sacrifice.

Health insurance IS critical. Democrats refuse to stand by while veterans and hardworking Americans are forced to choose between healthcare and keeping the lights on. Republicans: There are 12 legislative days left to fix this. Come to the table. America's veterans deserve better.

STARTING SOON: The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity (EO) will conduct an Oversight Hearing entitled "Strengthening the Workforce of Veterans in America." Click here to watch EOs RM @repchrispappas.bsky.social deliver his opening remarks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7ZY...

In 2022, RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social had the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving with the brave men & women serving our country in uniform. For him, that day is a reminder of all whose service will keep them from joining their friends, families, & loved ones for a Thanksgiving meal this year.

As Thanksgiving approaches, many of our veterans are feeling the burden of soaring grocery prices exacerbated by Trump's tariffs. Does an empty table reflect our unwavering gratitude?

🧵1/6 This is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, yet the Trump Administration is CUTTING funding that provides permanent housing for over 170,000 Americans. Continuum of Care is the largest federal funding source for homelessness assistance programs.

Joined HVAC’s Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee’s oversight hearing today on improving VA’s examination scheduling system so Granite State veterans can apply for benefits faster and closer to home. You can listen in here: democrats-veterans.house.gov/events/heari...

It is unacceptable that for months VA has failed to pay out essential housing and education benefits to thousands of veterans and their families, forcing them into financial instability and uncertainty. I'm demanding VA urgently address and resolve this matter. pappas.house.gov/media/press-...

STARTING at noon, the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs will conduct an Oversight Hearing entitled, "Improving Outcomes for Disabled Veterans: Oversight of VA's Medical Disability Examination Office". 🔜To watch the hearing live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyeD...

Earlier this week, the House passed the Cost of Living Adjustment Act. As @kellymorrisonmn.bsky.social said, affordability is a top concern for her constituents—especially veterans. This bill takes necessary steps towards providing the financial stability that veterans have earned and deserve.

What our Government is doing to Area 51 veterans is shameful. Ranking Member @repmarktakano.bsky.social hates when veterans have to fight their own government for the benefits they are owed.

RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social applauds 2025 VA housing figures while warning that Administration-led efforts will undo progress. Full statement: democrats-veterans.house.gov/news/press-r...