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Here in Nebraska, we have been blessed by the service of brave men and women in uniform. From Omaha to Scottsbluff, you’ll find veterans who have served in many theaters. Some have stormed the beaches of Normandy, others trudged into the jungles of Vietnam or fought in Korea, and many combated terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their American spirit is a true inspiration. 

These men and women have bravely answered the call to serve. They have offered to give their all when our country needed it most. Our veterans have done their duty. All they ask when they return home is that we do ours. My responsibility in the Senate is to ensure that our service members have everything they need on the battlefield to succeed and receive the benefits they earned when they return home.

Recently, I was proud to take part in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Central Nebraska Veterans Home. This beautiful home will provide 225 beds for our veterans. The project is a product of federal, state, and local community cooperation.

Nebraskans support our veterans, and that support is evident across the state. We have the new Omaha National Cemetery in Sarpy County. Construction is beginning on a new ambulatory clinic in Omaha as a result of a new private-public partnership method I championed in Congress that allows the Omaha community to help manage and plan the project. In Lincoln, we are awaiting an announcement on the new outpatient clinic that’s expected soon. 

The positive actions in Nebraska for our veterans make me proud. But that doesn’t mean our work is over. As your Senator, I’m working to address another issue that’s affecting our veterans: overpayments by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA).

Unfortunately, this has been an ongoing issue. Too many veterans open their mail only to have their hearts sink as they read a notification letter that states they been overpaid by the VA and owe thousands of dollars back. Shocked and confused, they read on searching for a detailed account of what they owe, what their options are, and how the overpayment resulted in the first place. The complexity of these letters leaves veterans with more questions than answers, but make clear that they’ve been paid too much by the VA, and now they owe it back.

Veterans and widows frequently contact my office after being confronted with large debt notices. Last year, I met a woman whose husband retired from the Army after serving for 22 years. She and her husband received a sudden debt notice of $10,000 without explanation or information to resolve this issue. This is simply unacceptable.

After hearing her family’s story, and so many others, I led a bipartisan coalition to introduce the Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act. Our bill would help veterans navigate the complicated VA bureaucracy in these confusing cases. It directs the VA to partner with Veteran Service Organizations to create a new notice of indebtedness that provides a clear explanation of why the debt is owed. Further, the letter would also include options available to challenge or mitigate the debt.

This is a common-sense bill that our veterans need. We owe it to them to make sure they receive quality care they deserve, without having to pay for the mistakes of a Washington, D.C. bureaucracy. Our veterans had our backs on the battlefield, and we must ensure we have theirs at home.

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.