Representative Tom Suozzi, trained as an attorney and CPA, is the Congressman representing the Third Congressional District in New York. He is a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the chief tax-writing committee of the House of Representatives, serving on both the Oversight and Tax Policy subcommittees. Congressman Suozzi is also the Vice-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Long Island Sound Caucus. In May of 2019, he was appointed to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Prior to his assignment on Ways and Means, the Congressman was a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Armed Services Committee.
Congressman Suozzi is a proud supporter of America’s veterans and appreciates the sacrifices our veterans, and their families, make to protect our country. Congress must ensure veterans have access to world-class healthcare and post-service economic opportunity. Above all else, we must never forget the vet.
He has brought together a Veterans Advisory Council, which meets regularly to discuss ways to improve the lives of veterans locally and around the nation. Together, they have created a “Veterans Agenda” that focuses on accomplishing the following items:
1) Improving access to mental health counseling for ALL veterans
2) Improving the Northport VA physical plant
3) Demolishing vacant buildings at Northport VA
4) Improving the transition from active duty to veteran status
Veteran suicide is a national crisis. When an individual is in crisis, we need to put bureaucracy aside and use all available resources to treat those in pain. That is why the Congressman introduced the “Mental Health Services for All Veterans Act,” which would provide free mental health services to all members of the Armed Services, regardless of their discharge status. The bill will also provide mental health services to members of the reserves, including the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. These critical services would be made available through VA medical facilities and through Veterans Health Centers.
The Northport VA Medical Center provides health care, and other services, to tens of thousands of veterans. The Congressman has worked closely with each Northport VA Director, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to improve services for veterans and address the physical conditions of the facilities, including expediting the demolition of buildings 1 and 2. The Northport VA should be a model for the nation and the Congressman will continue to push for ongoing improvements to realize that goal.
We need to do more for new veterans, that is why Congressman Suozzi has pushed for easing the transition from military service to civilian life. He has called for the reduction of licensing and certification hurdles for veterans who had high skilled training in the military, so they can apply their skills as civilians. The more seamless the transition from military to civilian employment, the more seamless transition will be in all aspects of a veteran’s life.