Thom Tillis
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has championed bipartisan efforts to support veterans and reform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during his first two years as a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Tillis worked with VA Secretary Robert McDonald throughout 2016 on the MyVa initiative to transform the VA into a more efficient, customer service-oriented organization that delivers top-notch health care services to veterans.
“My personal thanks also to Sens. Thom Tillis and Jon Tester (D-MT) for meeting with us repeatedly to hone our transformation plans,” McDonald said. “I believe they know MyVA is about fulfilling the nation’s obligation to those who have served and that they share our vision for VA to become the Number One customer-service agency in the government.”
Earlier this year, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, lauded Tillis for advancing proposals to reform the VA. He called the initiatives an outstanding template for responding to the recommendations of the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the VA Office of Inspector General.
Additionally, Tillis introduced bipartisan legislation, the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act, earlier this year to create a center for excellence within the VA to prevent, diagnose, treat and rehabilitate health conditions related to exposure to burn pits. Burn pits were a common way to get rid of waste at military sites in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition, in 2015, President Obama announced his endorsement of the Career-Ready Student Veterans Act and the Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act, bipartisan bills introduced by Tillis and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to give veterans more access to education.
Tillis also partnered with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to introduce the Wounded Warrior Employment Improvement Act requiring the VA secretary to develop and publish an action plan for improving training and rehabilitation offered to veterans.
Finally, Tillis joined U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) in fighting for veterans who were victims of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Thanks to their efforts, victims of the toxic water diagnosed with one of nine illnesses have been granted disability status.