Washington’s Second District has a strong tradition of military service. The Second District is home to 51,000 veterans, which is 8.1 percent of the district’s population. Ten percent of the veteran population in the Second District are women, and women are the fastest growing group in the veteran population.
From my first days in office, I have made working with the veterans of Northwest Washington a top priority for my office. Together, we have made great progress in improving access to services for our veterans, but I know there is more work to be done. In Congress, I am focused on making sure veterans have access to:
- High-quality, timely health care
- Affordable housing
- Educational opportunities
- Fulfilling employment
I regularly hold town hall meetings throughout the district to hear from veterans directly about the barriers they face in accessing care and benefits. In 2025, I held five roundtables with veterans and summarized those conversations in a report. You can read that report and my policy recommendations here:
Listening to Veterans in Northwest Washington
Accomplishments & Priorities
Health Care
- I worked alongside veterans and advocates to secure two new VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in the Second District that deliver care to veterans closer to their homes and families.
- I am leading the fight to overturn VA’s ban on fertility treatments by introducing the Veteran Families Health Services Act.
- I helped pass the largest expansion of veterans' benefits in U.S. history, the Honoring our PACT Act, which provides health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxins during their military service.
- I am fighting to ensure women veterans have access to high-quality, gender-specific care.
- I introduced the Mammography Access for Veterans Act to expand mammogram screenings at VA health centers.
- I introduced the Veterans Access to Transit Act (VA Transit Act) to expand public transportation offices to and from VA facilities.
- I am working to expand community-based, veteran-led suicide prevention programs, like those funded through the Staff Sargeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.
Housing
- I am working to expand the number of HUD-VASH vouchers available in Northwest Washington, which provide eligible veterans with stable housing.
- I am supporting legislation to make the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program permanent so that homeless veterans with families can continue accessing lifesaving housing services.
Education
- I am cosponsoring the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act, to ensure National Guard members and Reservists can count every day spent in uniform toward their education benefits.
- I am pushing for reform of the VA Work Study program to expand the number of eligible jobs that student veterans may have and allowing participants to be paid the local minimum wage where they work.
Employment
- I am supporting legislation to expand federal job training and employment opportunities for veterans in critical fields like cybersecurity.
- I am working to expand the Vocational Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program and hire more counselors so disabled veterans can find fulfilling employment and have access to the support they need.
My office may be able to assist local veterans and servicemembers in matters concerning the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs or other agencies. Please contact my Everett office if you need assistance. You can also find a list of local resources available for veterans and servicemembers here.
