Delgado Testifies on Need to Improve Benefits for Underserved Veterans in Upstate New York

Thank you, Chairman Lauria and Ricky member for the opportunity to testify today about my bill, the improving benefits for Underserved Veterans Act legislation to better understand the needs of our nation's veterans. Throughout the years, our armed forces have become increasingly diverse with more women and minority groups serving our country. In fact, in my district alone, there are more than 40000 veterans, nearly 10 percent of which are women, a trend that will only increase in the coming years female. Veterans are also the fastest growing segment of the homeless veteran population, and in 2016, the suicide rate of women veterans was nearly twice the suicide rate of non veteran women. This summer, I visited a number of veterans organizations, facilities and upstate New York, including the Samaritan Daytop Village in Ellenville. The Catskill V A clinic in the Albany, Stratton, VA, to better understand the health care needs of women veterans and learned that many female and minority group veterans are unaware of their. Benefits leaving critical benefits Unused my legislation The improving benefits for Underserved Veterans Act would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to publish the report on veterans benefits just aggregating by sex and minority group status. This would help Congress in the VA better understand, which benefits these groups are utilizing and importantly, which benefits they are not utilizing. This Forward-looking report will also allow Congress in a VA to foresee trends and needs in veterans. And better understand how to serve them in the future. I am grateful to the House Veterans Affairs Affairs Committee for all of his hard work and what will become the Deborah Samson Act, which is enacted, would be the most comprehensive legislation helping to serve women service members and I'm so happy it includes the improving benefits for Underserved Veterans Act. I thank the Committee for the opportunity to speak on this important issue and you'll back my time.