REP. GRAY HONORS VALLEY VETERANS DURING WASHINGTON HONOR FLIGHT VISIT

WASHINGTON, DC- Representative Adam Gray (CA-13) visited with a group of Central Valley Honor Flight veterans and guardians during their visit to our nation's capital today. Rep. Gray delivered remarks to the group on the House Floor before they departed for a tour of the Capitol building. Valley Representatives Jim Costa, David Valadao, Tom McClintock and Vince Fong also attended the gathering.

Following the visit, Rep. Gray said, "Central Valley veterans' bravery, selflessness, and commitment to our nation are truly remarkable. It was an honor to welcome and spend the morning with some of our veterans and their loved ones. I'm grateful for the opportunity to personally thank those who have served our country.

"Our veterans deserve more than our thanks-they deserve action. That's why I introduced the STRIVE Act, which recently passed unanimously out of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, to limit copay debt responsibility for veterans at VA health clinics and lower barriers to care. I remain committed to supporting and advancing legislation that will protect and expand access to the care and benefits our veterans have earned."

Rep. Gray's STRIVE Act was passed via unanimous consent during the Committee on Veterans' Affairs July 23^rd markup. If enacted, the bill would prevent the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs from collecting copays from veterans ("first party copays") in instances where the collection delay is due to a fault of the Department (such as a pause in collections, IT outage or a VA employee administrative error). This would apply to copays that are billed for care that is over two years old OR exceed $2,000. Full text of the bill is available here.

The Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization that arranges trips to Washington, D.C., for veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. These trips give veterans the chance to connect with one another while visiting the U.S. Capitol and memorials that honor their service. Rep. Gray connected with the group on the second day of their visit.

###