Improving the Lives of Service Members and Their Families:

Our active-duty military and their families have chosen to dedicate themselves to service. But the sacrifices they make should not come at the expense of their quality of life. That’s why we’ve prioritized legislation that addresses their needs.

We’ve led initiatives to improve DoD mental health services, strengthen military hunger prevention efforts, support military spouses and children, and expand support efforts for Gold Star Families.

Looking Out for Our Veterans:

As veterans ourselves, we understand the unique needs of the veteran community. Many of us served in Iraq and Afghanistan and recognize the toll our nation’s longest war has taken on U.S. servicemembers and its distinct impact on the country as a whole. As such, we successfully led an effort to establish the Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall. After continued work from caucus members, the design process is currently underway. Soon all Americans will have a place to properly honor and reflect on the sacrifices of so many.

Having served in times when mental health struggles were often taboo, we’ve also worked to improve awareness of services and access to timely, high-quality care. Our members worked to create the easy-to-remember, three-digit Veterans Crisis Line number, 988. Since this shift, the line has seen a dramatic uptick in calls to help veterans receive the emergency care they need.

Honoring Our Commitments to Wartime Allies:

The For Country Caucus understands that supporting U.S. allies—especially those who served alongside U.S. troops during the Global War on Terror—is both a moral imperative and a national security priority. That's why we secured several legislative provisions to support our Afghan allies in the lead-up to and aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. We expedited the process for Afghan translators and interpreters to escape the Taliban and come to the U.S. and we led efforts to pass the Afghan War Commission Act. This legislation created a non-partisan, independent commission charged with conducting a comprehensive examination of the War in Afghanistan. The United States will use its final report to learn from our experience in Afghanistan and better prepare for potential conflicts in the future.

Modernizing the Department of Defense and Securing America's Technological Future

The For Country Caucus believes the U.S. must be prepared to address future challenges across the globe while investing in our competitive technologies. That's why we helped implement a number of the recommendations from the Cyber Solarium Commission (CSC) and the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI). These include the establishment of a Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the State Department, efforts to strengthen the cyber workforce and cyber education, and the strengthening of research and development efforts across the artificial intelligence, cyber, and biotechnology sectors.

We also recognize the importance of maintaining a competitive advantage against potential adversaries and ensuring America remains the most capable and responsive force in the world. We helped pass critical provisions of the Taiwan Partnership Act to require the DOD to improve cooperation between the National Guard and Taiwan. Our members also helped establish the Arctic Security Initiative to establish a five-year plan to fully resource the Arctic region and develop service-specific strategies in the Arctic.

Endorsements: