Congressman Carson Statement on Veterans Day

"Today, on Veterans Day, I reaffirm my commitment to supporting our brave veterans.

"The Trump administration is leaving veterans behind, slashing the Veterans' Administration (VA) workforce to the lowest level in 15 years. Over 1 million veterans lost their VA medical providers since the start of Trump's second term, barring them from receiving their well-deserved benefits and making wait times too long, especially for mental health services. House Republicans also keep pushing bills to cut disability benefits - during an affordability crisis, when veterans couldn't be more vulnerable.

"Last week, Americans made it clear they're ready for change. Democrats will fight for our veterans. This afternoon, the House will vote on the Major Richard Star Act, which would let combat-injured veterans receive both the retirement pay and the disability compensation they earned. Republicans kept this bill off the floor for months despite more than 330 cosponsors from both parties, so I signed the discharge petition to force a vote this week. I urge every one of my colleagues to vote yes with me, and I call on the Senate to send it to the President's desk without delay.

"But we can't stop there. I've made this fight a priority in Congress. This year, the House adopted my bipartisan amendment to increase funding for VA Medical and Prosthetic Research to $994 million, supporting research into traumatic brain injury, cancer, and the prosthetics and assistive devices that help injured veterans live full lives. I introduced the Medical Research for Our Troops Act to restore full funding to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, which support peer-reviewed research into conditions affecting service members and veterans. I'm proud to have also led the charge to increase funding to combat veteran hunger.

"Every vote I take in Washington is driven by the veterans I serve in Indianapolis. My office has closed over 300 veterans' cases in Indianapolis in 2026 alone, including helping 112 homeless veterans qualify for housing. As we transition into the next Congress, I will continue to fight to expand access to medical, dental, and mental health services for those who put their lives on the line for this country."

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