A few weeks ago, I asked for your help in honoring veterans in Southwest Washington by sharing stories and photos from military service. Some of those stories are now available on my website (jaimehb.house.gov).

As this region’s representative in Congress, it’s my job to ensure we’re honoring current and retired members of the military by upholding promises made to them. Below are a few of the measures I’ve worked on this year:

• American Heroes COLA Act
  • Automatically provides the same cost of living adjustments for Veteran's Disability payments as Social Security every year.
• Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act
  • Streamline certification for EMT training for Veterans who have been trained in the military when transitioning into civilian jobs.
• Troop Talent Act
  • Provides information to troops during their military career about paths to earning civilian credentials and licenses to match their military training.
• Tackling the VA backlog
  • I joined with other Members to formally urge President Obama to dedicate resources to reducing the backlog in disability claims. Since that time the backlog has decreased by 18%.
  • The 2014 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill-Important provisions aimed at improving the efficiency of the VA in the claims process.
• Mobile Medical Units
  • I successfully fought for a legislative provision to increase basic medical services for veterans living in rural areas.
• Military Sexual Assault
  • I cosponsored and voted for a bill that adds rape, sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct to the protected communications of service members with a Member of Congress or Inspector General.

To our Veterans- Thank you for the sacrifices you have made so we can be free.

Wild salmon and steelhead play a centrally important role in our economy and our culture here in the Pacific Northwest. Currently, the Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with salmon restoration. However, small but critical projects are often not undertaken through this program because the process is too cumbersome for the large federal agency to carry them out in a cost-efficient manner.

I teamed up with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) to introduce the FISH Act, which would turn small fish enhancement projects over to well-established local organizations with expertise and experience in completing small salmon habitat restoration projects throughout our region.

Read more about this bipartisan solution here.

Part of my job is helping support important community projects. I was proud to help the Woodland School district obtain their federal wetland permit to build their new high school. Below is an excerpt from a letter I received:

-MIchael Green, Superintendent of Schools