FACT CHECK: Veterans

Grassley works to support our veterans. 

  • In September, Senator Chuck Grassley announced his Veterans for Grassley coalition with representation from all 99 counties. Chairman and ret. Maj. Gen. Evan “Curly” Hultman penned an op-ed regarding Grassley’s work on behalf of our brave veterans. 
  • To support our veterans, Grassley has:
    • Conducted relentless oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the 2014 wait-time scandal, which revealed thousands of veterans were languishing for months without getting the health care they needed, while VA employees that falsified information were on paid administrative leave. 
    • Cosponsored and supported passage of legislation that increased veterans’ access to community care when they could not be served by the VA.
    • Cosponsored the VA Patient Protection Act to protect whistleblowers that reported poor treatment of veterans at VA facilities.
    • Requested and secured an inspector general investigation into the suicide of an Iowa veteran who took his life after being turned away from the Iowa City VA.
    • Supported legislation that was signed into law that makes it easier for the VA to fire employees for poor performance and misconduct.
    • Worked with a VA whistleblower who was on administrative leave for over a year and helped to get him a new position at the VA.
    • Introduced legislation with Senator Ernst to require the VA to conduct a third-party review of the care provided to veterans who were under the care of a physician who was later discovered to have a suspended license or history of malpractice. 
    • Supported the VA MISSION Act which revamped the community care program to streamline access to care in the community and improve and expand services and benefits for veterans and their families. This bill included the Grassley-backed provision to remove barriers to telemedicine for rural veterans.
    • Introduced bipartisan legislation that protects the Second Amendment rights of veterans. The Veterans Second Amendment Rights Restoration Act ensures the VA does not report a veteran to the federal gun-ban list (NICS) simply because the veteran has a fiduciary assigned for financial purposes. The bill ensures there is a process in place to protect veterans at risk of harming themselves or others, and that veterans have due process. 
    • Launched a project to collect oral histories from Iowa veterans for the Veterans History Project and has delivered more than 50 veterans’ testimonies to the Library of Congress, and counting.
    • Cosponsored and helped ensure passage of the HAVEN Act to exclude veterans’ disability compensation from bankruptcy proceedings. 
    • Conducted oversight of state Veterans Homes following reports of excessive cases and deaths from COVID-19 and poor conditions.
    • Voted for the Honoring our PACT Act each time it was up for a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate and supported getting it across the finish line to ensure our men and women exposed to toxins while serving our country receive the care and benefits they were promised.
    • Regularly assists Iowa veterans to secure the recognition they deserve with military medals.

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