Congressman Lamborn on Veterans’ Issues
Summary
Congressman Lamborn fully supports our nation's deserving veterans and for this reason worked hard to be named to the Veterans Affairs Committee after his election to Congress. He was also named as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Memorial and Disability Affairs, one of only a handful of freshman to be so honored.
On the Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Lamborn has worked to make sure veterans receive the benefits to which they are entitled, and to an increase of benefits where justified. His legislation, described more fully below, would among other things allow claims to be processed more efficiently, thus reducing the unacceptable current backlog of claims, and would allow families to better memorialize the final resting place of departed veterans.
In addition, Congressman Lamborn has introduced both a bill and later, a successful amendment to another bill, to create a National Veterans Cemetery in El Paso County. The Fifth Congressional District as a whole has over 100,000 veterans, and it is many times too difficult for surviving family members to negotiate the trip to Fort Logan in Denver. This legislation has gone further under the leadership of Congressman Lamborn than it ever has before. Also, for the very first time there is a line item in the Presidents 2009 budget to fund the purchase of land on the Front Range of Colorado for a new cemetery.
While in the state legislature, Lamborn was also a strong proponent for veterans. He served many years on the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, including as chairman. He successfully introduced legislation to raise the pension exclusion from state income tax to $24,000 and to create a Bronze Star license plate. He was given the Distinguished Legislator Award by the United Veterans of Colorado.
The opportunity to help those who have given so much to our nation's defense is a powerful motivation for Congressman Lamborn, whose father is a WWII Army Air Corp veteran and one of whose sons is an Army veteran.
Legislative Action in Congress:
- H.R. 295 - Sponsored a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in Colorado
- H.R. 3047 - Sponsored the Veterans Claims Processing Innovation Act of 2007
- H.R. 797 - Amended the Dr. James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act
- H.R. 1863 - Sponsored a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct at two-year pilot program to use a mobile processing unit to assist veterans in remote areas
- H.R. 1864 - Sponsored a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the automated processing of veterans disability compensation claims
- H.R. 2696 - Co-sponsored the Veterans' Dignified Burial Assistance Act of 2007
- H.R. 3047 - Sponsored the Veterans Claims Processing Innovation Act of 2007
- H.R. 327 - Co-sponsored the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act
- H.R. 1370 - Co-sponsored the Disabled Veterans Sports and Special Events Promotion Act of 2007
Legislative Action in State Legislature:
- HB 03-1151 - Sponsored legislation that would have exempted active-duty military personnel and members of the Colorado National Guard from state income tax
- SB 05-80 - Successfully sponsored legislation that would require local governments to notify the military of proposed changes in land uses around bases to prevent encroachment upon military bases such as Fort Carson
- SB 06-28 - Successfully sponsored legislation to create Bronze Star license plates
- Successfully sponsored legislation in the Senate to raise the pension exclusion from $20,000 to $24,000. Attempted another time to raise it to $30,000