RELEASE: Three Gottheimer-Led Amendments Pass the House, Strengthening Support for Veterans

Above: Gottheimer speaks in support of his amendments to support our veterans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the House passed three Gottheimer-led amendments to strengthen support for veterans across New Jersey and the country. The amendments were included in the FY2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

Video of Gottheimer speaking on the House floor can be found here.

Gottheimer’s amendments to support our veterans include:

• An amendment to require a resident advocate in every veterans home across the country to ensure someone can immediately address any concerns.
• An amendment to help VA hospitals provide kosher meal options for Jewish veterans to ensure that no veteran has to choose between their religion and their health.
• An amendment to combat veteran suicide by increasing funding for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, which expires this year.

“In my home state of New Jersey, 190 veterans tragically lost their lives due to the COVID outbreak at the veterans homes in Paramus and Menlo Park. This tragedy was preventable and unacceptable. My amendments will help ensure catastrophes like that don’t happen again, while also helping to prevent veteran suicide and to ensure no veteran has to choose between their religion and their health,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “After sacrificing so much, our veterans should never struggle to get the care, recognition, and respect they have rightfully earned.”

Gottheimer’s House floor remarks in support of his amendments, as prepared for delivery: 

I rise in support of the en bloc package, which includes three amendments I offered to the FY2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

My first amendment requires a resident advocate in every veterans home across the country. This advocate will be a direct line of contact for our veterans and their families, ensuring that they have someone who can immediately help with any concerns and respond without delay.

In my home state of New Jersey, 190 veterans tragically lost their lives due to the COVID outbreak at the veterans homes in Paramus and Menlo Park. This tragedy was preventable and unacceptable. My amendment will help ensure catastrophes like that don’t happen again. 

My second amendment will help VA hospitals provide kosher meal options for Jewish veterans. Right now, many Jewish inpatient veterans are only served frozen, pre-packaged kosher meals that severely lack quality nutrition. We must ensure that no veteran has to choose between their religion and their health. 

Finally, my third amendment will encourage continued funding for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, which has delivered millions in grants for mental health services to help prevent veteran suicide. Without additional funding, this critical program will expire later this year. We cannot let that happen. 

After sacrificing so much, our veterans should never struggle to get the care, recognition, and respect they have rightfully earned. That’s why I strongly urge my colleagues to support the en bloc package. 

Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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