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Today, Speaker Boehner signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This legislation, which will authorize necessary funds for the Department of Defense to provide our military with the tools they need to defend our country, now heads to the President's desk.
"I'm glad to see the strong bipartisan and bicameral support for this legislation," said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. "As we face an unprecedented amount of national security threats, this bill is crucial to ensure our military is prepared and we, as Americans, are safe."
Congressman Gus Bilirakis today released the following statement in response to the recent spike in violence across Israel and the Palestinian territories:
"I stand with our Israeli allies as they face the frightening escalation of terror acts throughout Israel. These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are reprehensible and must stop, as peace and security have been shaken. Just as Prime Minister Netanyahu has condemned retaliatory attacks and called for unity in the wake of these attacks, Palestinian leaders must follow suit and condemn these violent acts at once."
As Vice Chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have seen firsthand the courage, dedication, and sacrifices of our Veterans. I am forever grateful for our nation's true American heroes and their efforts to keep us safe. That is why I have been devoted to helping our Veterans transition to civilian life. My colleagues and I have worked on legislation to increase Veteran employment opportunities, remove unnecessary barriers, provide resources for a seamless transition into the workforce, and improve access to timely and quality health care for our heroes.
This past Friday, the office of Congressman Gus Bilirakis in collaboration with the West Pasco Dental Association held the first ever Stars, Stripes, and Smiles event, which took place at Pasco-Hernando State College. Dentists within the community volunteered to provide urgent dental care to military Veterans living in Pasco County who have been suffering with untreated dental pain and infection- all at no cost to Veterans. Watch the Bay News 9 coverage on the event here:
Today, the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health held a hearing to continue efforts to address the nation's drug abuse crisis.
Members and witnesses reviewed bipartisan legislation that would address various aspects of the drug abuse crisis. These bills aim to establish new programs for drug abuse education and recovery, ensure that both opioid relapse prevention medication and opioid maintenance treatments are provided to patients based on their individual needs, help stop the sale of deadly synthetic drugs, and more.
Today, the Veterans' Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing on the Independent Assessment of the Health Care Delivery Systems and Management Processes of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Independent Assessment evaluates every aspect of the Veterans' Health Administration. Recent assessments found many systemic shortfalls and significant flaws across VHA.
Today, the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing to examine ways to improve federal spectrum systems.
Spectrum, the highly sought-after radio frequencies that make wireless communications possible, has revolutionized our way of communicating. The Energy and Commerce Committee is working to bring our laws up to speed with the technological advances in the 21st century.
Last week, the President signed into law the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015 to extend the authorization for numerous Veterans Affairs programs related to health care, benefit services, homelessness programs, and more.
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize necessary funds for the Department of Defense to provide our military with the tools they need to defend our country.
"The defense of our nation is a top priority, as is ensuring active duty military preparedness and caring for our Veterans," said Congressman Bilirakis. "The NDAA is a vital piece of legislation and I'm proud to join my colleagues to further our efforts to help our nation's heroes."
This week, the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues hosted an inaugural "Stand with Greece" policy summit at the U.S. Capitol.
Greece is an important strategic ally of the United States, and is undergoing crises, both economic and migratory, with lasting effects likely to persist into the foreseeable future. Co-chairs Gus Bilirakis and Carolyn Maloney hosted a consortium of business, academic, and policy experts from around the country and Greece to explore how U.S. policies can best be utilized to provide technical and security support to our longtime friend and ally.