President Donald J. Trump Is Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Nation's Veterans | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    "I am steadfastly committed to ensuring our veterans and their families receive the care and support they deserve."   -   President Donald J. Trump

    PROVIDING QUALITY HEALTHCARE FOR OUR VETERANS: President Donald J. Trump continues to work every day to improve healthcare and expand services for our Nation's veterans.

           •  President Trump recently secured a record $73.1 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure our veterans receive the medical care they have earned.

                 •  This legislation signed by the President included $8.6 billion for mental health services, $400 million for opioid abuse prevention, and much more.

           •  Earlier this year, the President signed the VA MISSION Act, revolutionizing the VA healthcare system and raising the standard of service for our veterans.

                 •  The VA MISSION Act consolidates and reforms existing programs to give eligible veterans access to care right in their own communities.

                 •  Eligible veterans will also have access to walk-in community clinics that offer immediate, local care.

           •  In January, the President ordered the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and VA to improve access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for veterans.

           •  President Trump has expanded access to telehealth services for veterans, including through the "Anywhere to Anywhere VA Health Care Initiative."

    BRINGING ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE VA: The Trump Administration is strengthening accountability and transparency at the VA.

           •  President Trump has signed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, making it easier to discipline bad actors at the VA, including senior executives.

                 •  The Act strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify problems occurring within the VA.

           •  VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,300 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended.

           •  The President Trump kept his promise to create a 24/7 White House VA Hotline.

           •  The VA has increased transparency and accountability by launching an online "Access and Quality Tool," providing veterans with access to wait time and quality care data.

           •  The President signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, overhauling the VA's complicated appeals system and offering veterans faster appeals decisions.

                 •  This legislation helped put the VA on track to deliver a record number of decisions to veterans by the end of fiscal year 2018.

    SUPPORTING AMERICA'S FINEST: President Trump is committed to supporting America's veterans by improving access to education benefits, housing, and employment.

           •  Last year, the President signed the "Forever GI Bill," which provided enhanced education benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.

                 •  This legislation lifted a 15-year limit on veterans' access to educational benefits to ensure all veterans receive the benefits they have rightly earned.

           •  Programs at the VA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development helped nearly 54,000 veterans find permanent housing and get access to supportive services last year.

           •  Thanks to the booming economy, veterans' unemployment remains near a two-decade low.

• Contact: White House
•     Press Office