Working for Our Troops & Veterans
Amy Klobuchar understands that we have a responsibility to repay the debt we owe to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation. Since arriving in the Senate, Amy has worked across the aisle to ensure Minnesota's troops, veterans, and their families have the full benefits and support they deserve.
- Worked to ensure our veterans receive the full benefits they were promised and earned: Amy Klobuchar introduced and led legislation in the Senate, led in the House by Congressman John Kline, to ensure Minnesota's Red Bulls receive the full benefits they were promised when they deployed to Kuwait to assist the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Her work helped prevent the Defense Department from significantly cutting the leave benefits that troops from the Minnesota National Guard's 1/34th Brigade Combat Team received upon their return. The bipartisan legislation passed through Congress and was signed into law on May 25, 2012.
- Passed legislation to help veterans find jobs: Amy Klobuchar has consistently fought to pass legislation that helps our state's veterans find jobs in the civilian workforce. Her bipartisan Post-9/11 Veterans Job Training Act to allow veterans to use their education benefits for job training programs was implemented in October 2011. And she helped pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act that encourages businesses to hire returning veterans.
- Pushed for more equal treatment for National Guard and Reserve members: Since 9/11, the men and women of our National Guard and Reserves have gone above and beyond the call of duty in defending our nation. Minnesota's National Guard has been recognized as among the best in the nation, and many of our Guard members have served repeated deployments in recent years. Amy Klobuchar has helped lead the effort to ensure that the equipment and benefits available to our National Guard and Reserves reflects the extraordinary service they have performed for our nation over the last decade.
- Helped make education more affordable for servicemembers and veterans: Amy Klobuchar cosponsored and helped pass the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill that enables all of our servicemembers to pursue higher education. She also authored the Servicemembers Student Loan Interest Relief Act to help ensure that troops are not forced to pay interest on their student loans while they are deployed.
- Worked to improve health care and support services for military families: Amy Klobuchar understands that a deployment doesn't just impact the troops sent overseas, but their entire families and communities as well. To help ease the burden on our military families, Amy Klobuchar has been a champion of the "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" program and helped turn it into a national model. She also wrote legislation that would improve mental health services for military spouses and children and helped pass legislation to improve support and training for family caregivers of wounded warriors.
- Pushed to get our troops the equipment they need to stay safe: Amy Klobuchar has worked to make sure that the our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have the best possible equipment, including helping provide them mine-resistant vehicles and better body armor.
- Improved support for survivors of military sexual assault. Amy Klobuchar authored bipartisan legislation, which was supported by all women senators and signed into law in December 2011, to ensure the long-term retention of records of incidents of sexual assault in the military so that victims can seek care and support.
- Committed to help end veteran homelessness: No one who has served our nation should be homeless, which is why Amy Klobuchar has authored bipartisan legislation to strengthen the programs that help homeless veterans get back on their feet.