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Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have been committed to ensuring Iowa's veterans have the resources they need. The brave men and women who have selflessly worn our nation's uniform have made extraordinary sacrifices for our freedom. While we can never fully repay them for their service, we do have the responsibility to ensure they have the benefits they earned. That commitment includes caring not only for the visible wounds of war, but also for the unseen wounds that too many veterans carry every single day.
Too often, veterans in our communities face unnecessary barriers to accessing their benefits and receiving the highest quality of care we have to offer. As I tour the 4th District, I hear directly from veterans about traveling long distances to access care and excessive wait times--some who had to wait nearly 27 days for mental health services. It has been one of my top priorities in Congress to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide commonsense solutions to these issues.
Every veteran who reaches out for help deserves more than just someone to answer the phone -- they deserve continued support that helps put them on the path to recovery.
That's why, in the 118th Congress, I was honored to sponsor an amendment to the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act requiring the Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office to include the Veterans Crisis Line as an entity responsible for providing rapid post-crisis follow-up care for veterans. When a veteran calls the Veteran Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1, or dialing 9 under the previous system, that conversation should not be the end of the process. Follow-up care can make a world of difference in connecting veterans with the treatment, counseling, and local resources they need during a difficult time.
This effort builds upon my work to strengthen veterans' mental healthcare. In the 117th Congress, I worked to pass the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans' Mental Health Act, named in honor of the Iowa Marine Corps veteran Sgt. Brandon Ketchum, whose tragic death underscored the urgent need to expand mental health services in rural communities. This bill established additional Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) programs based on the need for additional mental health resources in rural areas. I have also voted to help homeless veterans find shelters and mental health resources in rural communities, strengthen healthcare for our veterans that were exposed to toxic substances that can lead to illnesses like cancer through the PACT Act, and ensure veterans have access to quality care they deserve close to home -- no matter where they live.
In our district, I've seen firsthand the outstanding work being done at facilities like the Iowa Veterans Home and the new VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Marshalltown. Their work demonstrates how when the necessary investments are made, we can prioritize veterans in rural communities.
Our veterans made a selfless commitment to defend our country, and it is incumbent upon Congress to uphold our end of the deal. As a fierce advocate for our veterans and their families, I will continue to support legislation that delivers the benefits our veterans have earned and offers the best healthcare our country can provide. On Capitol Hill, Iowa veterans will always have an ally and a voice in me.
Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa's Fourth District in the U.S. House.