A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” That quote came from President John F. Kennedy over half a century ago. It was true then and it’s true today. Nebraska is home to nearly 120,000 veterans. We honor them and all the other veterans across America every day. We owe them a debt that we can never repay.
As Governor, we worked to make Nebraska the most military and veteran-friendly state in the nation. We launched a program to ease the transition from military service to civilian employment. We increased pay for care technicians with Nebraska Veterans’ Affairs (VA) by 20%. We merged the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Division of Veterans’ Homes to create a one-stop shop for Nebraska veterans. I also signed LB 387 into law. This eliminated state income taxes on military retirement benefits.
We started the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families. Many veterans bear the physical or psychological scars from service. The Challenge encouraged veterans to seek help. This improved mental healthcare and supported early intervention for Nebraska veterans.
As Senator, I’ve brought these proven Nebraska solutions to Washington. I am working to strengthen veterans’ healthcare. My MIND Our Veterans Act would ensure service members receive proper mental healthcare as they transition to civilian life. This is one way we can proactively help our veterans. I also introduced the bipartisan CARING for Our Veterans Health Act. Nearly 75% of veterans return to VA medical centers after receiving services from community providers. My bill would ensure veterans’ medical history is shared and available for VA medical centers.
Beyond strengthening healthcare, I’m working to bring our veterans tax relief. I introduced the Tax Cuts for Veterans Act. This legislation would make military retirement pay tax-free at the federal level. I also introduced the Service Members Tax Relief Act. This bill would fully exempt active duty and reserve military compensation from federal income taxes. I also cosponsored the Major Richard Star Act. This bill would provide full benefits for combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service.
My team also supports Nebraska’s veterans by providing high-quality constituent services. For example, Richard, a veteran from Sidney, recently reached out to my office. He was mistakenly assigned debt by the VA. The VA failed to contact him for months. Our casework team was able to help completely zero out that debt. This saved Richard from having to wrongfully pay over $18,000. We are here to help other veterans as well. This can include accessing VA benefits or navigating a federal agency.
We are the land of the free because of the brave. For all they’ve done for us, we must ensure our veterans are taken care of. That’s what I am doing in the U.S. Senate.
My team and I are here to serve you. Contact us anytime by phone at 202-224-4224. You can also view my website at https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact.