In the early 2000s, my first entry into politics was protesting George Bush’s ill-conceived and poorly-executed war in Iraq. It was clear, even then, that this war — like others before it — would impose great costs on our soldiers. Our nation owes a great debt to the Americans who put their bodies, their health, and their lives on the line for us. In Congress, I’ll see to it that America honors the promises we made to those who serve — and works to make good on the vast debt that the rest of us owe to our veterans.

• Protecting and Strengthening the VA: Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unilateral cuts to staffing and services at the VA are unconscionable. I cannot imagine choosing to pay for tax cuts for the rich by cutting these essential services. In Congress, I’ll work to ensure our VA programs, including VA hospitals, are adequately staffed by a qualified, well-trained, and fairly compensated workforce.

• Addressing the Veterans’ Mental Health Crisis and Veteran Homelessness: In Washington, I’ll seek to end the veteran’s mental health crisis. We need to ensure that every veteran who needs or wants it has access to appropriate mental health treatment. I’ll also work to fully fund and expand existing programs that work to address the epidemic of homelessness among our veterans. And I’ll fight to reverse the Trump administration’s disgusting move to end mortgage relief for veterans.

• Helping Vets Transition to Civilian Life: Our country must better support veterans as they transition back to civilian life. I’ll work to support and expand job training programs for our veterans, as well as programs that help veterans use the training they’ve already received in the military to more easily qualify for relevant professional licenses for high-paying jobs in plumbing, electrical, aviation and other fields.

• Protecting Veterans from Scams: We also have a duty to fight scams that target veterans and seek to cheat them out of their benefits. I’ll work to protect veterans from predatory lending. I’ll also cut off GI Bill funds from shady for-profit colleges that saddle veterans with student debt while failing to provide a quality education.