This week, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez announced the introduction of the Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act, a bill aimed at increasing the yearly books and supply stipend for veterans pursuing higher education.
The bill proposes raising the annual stipend from $1,000 to $1,400, and would introduce a cost of living adjustment to keep pace with inflation. Vasquez said that in an increasingly partisan environment, the bill is a chance for both major parties to come together.
"Both Republicans and Democrats believe that we should be taking care of our veterans post-service that are looking for educational opportunities. I feel that if we can get this bill on the House floor, it would pass with overwhelming support. So it’ll be up to the Veteran’s Affiars Committee to be able to take this bill up and to recommend it for House passage.”
Vasquez also addressed the recent expiration of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, and urged congressional leadership to allow a vote on an extension that would cover a wider range of individuals, including New Mexicans who say they were affected by the Trinity Test.
"Republican Speaker Johnson is fully to blame for the failure of the RECA extension, let alone the expansion that we’ve been asking for,” he said. “The frustration is palpable.”
RECA expired on June 7, but Vasquez said that the fight isn’t over for victims of the U.S. nuclear weapons program.
“That’s not what we do as Americans. That’s not what we should be doing for the people of New Mexico. So we’re going to keep fighting for it. There’s other options on the table. Me and my colleagues in New Mexico are meeting about potential next steps, and we have to call out Speaker Johnson for not doing his job. And we hope that allies like Republican Josh Hawley and Republican Moylan and others are able to pressure Republican leadership to do the right thing, to work with Democrats, and to get a bill on the table that we can all support.”
Vasquez said that despite the partisan politics in Washington, D.C., he’ll continue his efforts to work with representatives from all sides in order to address issues facing his constituents.
