Ask Congress to sign onto and pass the Expanding Care for Veterans Act, a bill with a focus on exactly what it sounds like, expanding the care our military veterans are able to receive from VA medical centers. This bill currently has 8 co-sponsors signed onto it along with the original sponsor supporting it within the House. It has been placed on the back burner as others feel there are larger problems to deal with. Not to mention, there are not very many people who are aware of this bill. Let's use this petition to raise awareness for this bill and show our support to our representatives as their constituents in an attempt to get them to pass this bill. We should not go another day ignoring our military veterans and their needs. We should be trying to give them the best possible care including the most innovative treatments as a thank you for all that they have done for us as American citizens. 

"While we can never truly repay the debt we owe our heroes, the least we should do for our brave veterans is to ensure that the government takes a proactive approach to delivering the services and benefits they have earned, so they can access the care they need and so richly deserve." - Kristen Gillibrand

Why is this law important?

This law aims to further research on "complementary and integrative" healthcare services for our military veterans, as well as developing and implementing a program that will include said services within VA medical centers. Complementary and integrative services include but are not limited too: mindfulness training, mind and body practices, stress management, acupuncture and much more. There is growing research on the efficacy or effectiveness of complementary and integrative services for PTSD, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and many more disorders and disabilities. These studies have shown a decrease in symptoms related to their disorder, as well as increasing overall quality of life for many different populations of people, including veterans. 

Why should we sign this now?

Veteran suicide and opioid abuse are both major problems within our military population. Reports that have been published in the past few years have shown that there is a shocking amount of veterans who commit suicide or die from opioid related causes because they either do not have the resources/services they need. Many veterans have requested alternative services within the VA, which is precisely what this bill would bring to them. I myself, along with many friends, have had veteran family members and close friends try to commit suicide or become consumed by opioid abuse or alcoholism. It is our duty to now care for these veterans, who put their lives on the line to protect our country. 

"Because all of us believe and understand in the fabric of the common bond of why we call ourselves American is to care for the men and women who wear the uniform; and when they take off the uniform, we care for them when they are veterans."           - Steve Buyer

What you can you do to help RIGHT NOW in addition to signing the petition? (Total time required: ~5minutes)

1.  Share this Petition on social media,  ask your friends, co-workers, and family to sign the petition and consider sharing it as well.

2.  Contact your congressional representative's office, and politely inform them that you are calling to ask your representative to support H.R.1963- Expanding Care for Veterans Act. (To contact your representative, just call the Capitol Switchboard. (202) 224-3121 and give them your zip code, and they will provide you with the telephone number for your congressional representative. Call that number, and express your support.) This will make a big difference.