Veterans
Rep. Larson believes that honoring those who served our country should not end with a medal or a parade, it must be an ongoing effort to make certain that all who served our country have access to health care, education, and other benefits they have earned. As the son and brother of veterans, he understands this commitment and fights for them every day in Congress.
Veterans Benefits
Rep. Larson is dedicated to ensuring veterans receive their rightfully earned benefits through supporting legislation such as the Major Richard Star Act, a bill that allows veterans who were medically retired as a result of combat or training injuries to receive both retired pay and disability compensation, regardless of time served. He also believes in ensuring veterans spouses are cared for. The Congressman is proud to support legislation such as Caring for Survivors Actto increase the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses and the Love Lives on Act, allowing surviving spouses to remarry at any age and maintain their financial benefits.
Furthermore, it is important to the Congressman that veterans receive their hard-earned benefits without claim sharks taking advantage of veterans and their families. Rep. Larson cosponsors the GUARD VA Benefits Act; a bill holds claim sharks accountable by reinstating criminal penalties for unaccredited claims representatives.
Rep. Larson proudly supports the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act to ensure veterans get the justice they deserve.
PACT Act
Rep. Larson was also proud to vote for the biggest expansion of veterans’ benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than three decades. Since the PACT Act was signed into law in 2022, more than 3,000 PACT Act veterans have filed for benefits in Connecticut’s First Congressional District.
Healthcare for post-9/11 Combat Veterans – Extends VA enrollment window from 5 to 10 years and creates a special one-year open enrollment period.
Support for Burn Pit and Toxic Chemical Exposure Conditions – Adds 23 specific conditions that will make veterans and their survivors automatically eligible for benefits, speeding up the process to receive the financial and health care support they are due.
Relief for Vietnam Veterans – Expands coverage for illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure including expanding eligible exposure sites.
Support for Survivors – Makes it possible for eligible survivors to gain benefits they may have been previously denied from, including monthly compensation, health care, and education benefits.
Improves the VA – Invests in resources to more effectively deliver for veterans, including workforce and infrastructure needs as well as improved training for toxic-exposure care.
Trump Administration
We cannot serve our veterans if the institutions they depend on are understaffed and poorly resourced, which is why Rep. Larson is deeply opposed to the Trump Administration’s 'DOGE' efforts. The Administration is already underway on a plan to cut tens of thousands of employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), devastating the agency and its capacity to care for patients. Make no mistake – devastating the VA’s ability to deliver care and benefits to veterans is a benefit cut. Rep. Larson sent a letterto VA Secretary Collins demanding a report on layoffs at our local Newington facility. In addition to damaging the VA, over 6,000 federal workers who are veterans have lost their job during the Administration’s ill-conceived staff reductions. Rep. Larson is cosponsoring the Protect Veterans Jobs Act to reinstate these workers and get them back to serving the American people. Rep. Larson is also a cosponsor of The Protect America’s Workforce Actto restore collective bargaining rights to federal workers. Secretary Collin’s decision to terminate collective bargaining agreements for the vast majority of VA workers will impact to the care veterans receive. Rep. Larson stood with SEIU and AFGE members in Connecticut outside the Newington VA to call out the Trump Administration’s illegal termination of collective bargaining for workers, the cancellation of approved maternity leave for expecting parents, and ‘DOGE’ mass firings that have worsened severe staff shortages at every VA facility nationwide. Rep. Larson will continue to stand with our veterans the workers who care for them.
Veterans Reproductive Health
Congressman Larson believes every veteran and their family deserves access to the best comprehensive care available when deciding when and how to start a family. Rep. Larson proudly supports legislation such as the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act, allowing female veterans to access contraceptive care without co-pays. Rep. Larson also supports the following legislation to ensure veterans, and their families have access to infertility treatment, abortion services, and expanded adoption options:
The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act - Codifies the right for veterans and eligible dependents to receive abortion care, medicine, and abortion counseling services through the VA.
The Veterans Infertility Treatment Act – Requires the VA to furnish infertility treatments for veterans and partners of veterans
The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act (EACH Act) – Requires federal healthcare programs, including the VA and TRICARE, to provide coverage for abortion services and requires federal facilities to provide access to those services.
Autism Care for Military Families
In 2011, Rep. Larson met Manchester resident Rachel Kenyon and her husband, Sgt. Major William Kenyon at a local meeting with Autism Speaks in West Hartford. Kenyon was serving his second tour in Afghanistan when his daughter was diagnosed with autism. With 26 years of active duty in the CTARNG 102nd Infantry, Kenyon and his wife Rachel continue to balance their service to this country with the needs of their daughter. At the meeting, Rachel advocated not only for her family – but all military families trying to access behavioral health treatments, like Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is proven to greatly help children with developmental disabilities, particularly those who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. TRICARE limited access to ABA therapies by using an annual dollar cap on coverage and it was not adequately available to children of military retirees with TRICARE coverage.
Following that meeting, Rep. Larson drafted and introduced the bipartisan Caring for Military Kids with Autism Act, which requires TRICARE to provide medically necessary behavioral treatments such as ABA for both active duty and retired military dependents as a part of the basic healthcare coverage. In 2014, Rep. Larson’s legislation was signed into law.
Rep. Larson once again stood up for military families in 2016, when he secured language in the National Defense Authorization Act, reversing a drastic cut the reimbursement rates for ABA providers serving military families that jeopardized access to treatment for military families.
Body Armor
In 2003, Rep. Larson met Pene Palifka of East Hartford at a public forum. Pene told him that her son, Bill Palifka of the CT National Guard's 248th Engineer Co. then serving in Iraq, had not been given effective body armor. Worried for her son’s safety, she said she used approximately $1,100 her own money to buy the body armor for him. Rep. Larson stood up for the troops and their family members who spent their hard-earned money because the government failed to adequately protect them. He passed legislation to reimburse troops for body armor purchased in Iraq and Afghanistan between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2003.
Constituent Service
Military Medals
Rep. Larson prides himself on assisting constituents. Rep. Larson’s office can help veterans navigate government bureaucracy to ensure they’re receiving the benefits they’ve earned.
Rep. Larson also works to ensure our veterans have received the medals they earned defending our freedom. From WWII veterans to those who have returned from the Operation Iraqi Freedom, Rep. Larson and his staff are available to help service members and their families find and receive military medals.
If you have a question regarding military medals or accessing benefits, please call 860-278-8888.
Rep. Larson presented Command Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Nelligan with the Meritorious Service Medal and Legion of Merit Retirement Award, in recognition of his forty-two years of military service.
Veteran and Military Advisory Council
In Connecticut, Rep. Larson maintains an active Veteran and Military Advisory Council with whom he regularly meets to gain feedback on issues and questions from our veteran community.
More on Veterans
(Hartford, CT)- Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Representatives John Larson (CT-1), Joe Courtney (CT-2), Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Jim Himes (CT-4), and Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) announced a grant from the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) totaling nearly $3.2 million to improve the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.
Southington, CT – Saturday, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) presented Warren Abell of Southington with the medals he earned for his honorable service during World War II.