Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ) said several strides were made for members of the military and veterans in the latest session of Congress, including securing bases and combating veteran suicides.
Runyan’s service on the House Armed Services Committee has allowed him to fight for veterans and active-duty members of the military and their families. South Jersey’s Third District has more than 65,000 veterans and their families living there.
“It has been an honor to represent the people of New Jersey’s Third Congressional District over the past four years,” Runyan said. “In particular, the opportunity to serve and advocate on behalf of our men and women in uniform, our nation’s veterans, and their families has been incredibly meaningful.”
Joint Base-McGuire-Dix Lakehurst is in Runyan’s district, so he worked to advance and strengthen the support for it, he said, including fighting against its closure. He also gathered support for the KC-10 Tanker Fleet and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. The U.S. Air Force is currently weighing a proposal to scrap its whole fleet of KC-10 tankers and A-10 attack jets in order to balance its budget.
Runyan also worked to gather more money for anti-suicide programs for veterans, such as $20 million for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for fiscal year 2015.
He supported legislation reforming procedures at the Veterans’ Affairs office, including H.R. 3230, the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. This new law will improve veterans’ access to health care and some of the other benefits they are owed.
Runyan has represented New Jersey’s 3rd District in the House of Representatives since 2011. Born in Flint, Michigan, in 1973, Runyan was educated at University of Michigan and is married to Loretta. He serves on the following committees: Armed Services Committee, Committee on Veterans Affairs and Committee on Natural Resources.