War In Iraq and Veterans

The Issue: For five years American soldiers have given their lives in a mishandled war in Iraq. This intervention is taking a heavy toll on military families, the general state of the military, and the programs in place meant to take care of our veterans. 

Rick Noriega has seen firsthand the toll the war is taking on our families. As a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard deployed to Afghanistan in 2004, Noriega has been on the front lines and knows our fighting men and women deserve a new direction in Iraq.

Rick is running for Senate to responsibly end the war and bring our troops safely home, with a phased military re-deployment that responsibly extracts our forces from Iraq's civil wars, and brings home the funding spent on the war to invest in education and health care. 

The Noriega Record: Rep. Noriega served in the War in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom and knows firsthand the toll the war is taking on American families. Rep. Noriega has been a leader on a host of veterans' issues:

• Joint-authored legislation making it easier for veterans to receive benefits under the Veterans' Land Program or the Veterans' Housing Assistance Program

• Joint-authored legislation allowing municipalities and counties to continue to pay reservist employees while on active duty.

• Co-authored legislation extending college tuition to the children of members of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or the Texas Air National Guard who became disabled as a result of a service-related injury.

• Sponsored legislation to provide more counseling programs and reintegration services to aid veterans and their immediate families in the reintegration process.