Norma Judith Torres, is an American politician. She is a member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 35th congressional district. Previously, she was a member of the California State Senate representing the 35th district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
As the mother of an Air Force veteran, I am grateful for the many sacrifices our servicemen and women have made. Our veterans were willing to put their lives on the line to protect the liberties that we hold dear, and it is our responsibility to ensure they return home to a nation that provides opportunities for them and their families. This includes ensuring they have an affordable place to live, educational and employment opportunities, and quality health care.
Veterans are twice as likely as other Americans to become homeless. I have been proud to promote initiatives in Congress that identify our homeless veteran population, provide transition services that help achieve residential stability, and address the availability of housing. This includes increasing the availability and use of project-based rental assistance, which is proven to reduce move-in wait-times.
The long wait-times that have plagued the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) are simply unacceptable. While necessary reforms are implemented, we must also make sure the VA has the resources needed to serve the growing number of aging Vietnam era veterans and the influx of veterans who recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must expand alternative avenues of accessing care, such as telehealth services and private care when necessary, to aid the 74 percent of veterans who live in rural and underserved areas.
Our veterans suffer from homelessness and disabilities at levels greater than the civilian population. In order to ensure our local veterans and their loved ones are aware of and able to quickly access the many resources available to them, I hosted a Veterans Resource Fair where Veterans had the opportunity to speak with representatives from the VA, local utilities, and other organizations to receive help. Attendees were also able to sit down and meet one-on-one with service officers from the VA to receive help on their pending claims. I plan to sponsor similar events in the future and as always, my staff and I are available to assist with issues local veterans may be experiencing with the VA and other federal agencies.